Politics
Social mobility stalls in Wales
FOLLOWING the publication in late 2017 of its State of the Nation 2017: Social Mobility in Great Britain report, all four members of the UK Government’s Social Mobility Commission decided to stand down from their roles on the Commission, citing concerns about the lack of progress towards a ‘fairer Britain’.
The State of the Nation report warned that: ”Britain is a deeply divided nation. Those divisions take many forms. Class, income, gender, race. In recent years, each has been the subject of much scrutiny. But one form of division that has received far less attention is that based on geography.”
Almost a quarter (23%) of all individuals in Wales live in poverty – ‘higher than in all regions in England and Great Britain, except London and the West Midlands’.
While the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s UK Poverty 2017 report, explains that of the four UK nations, Wales consistently has the highest levels of poverty, and these levels are only slightly lower than London, and similar to those of England’s North East.
Looking at early years’ education, west Wales fares conspicuously well, with over 80% of children in receipt of school meals in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion meeting and exceeding the targets set for their personal development.
However at Key Stages 2 & 3, while Carmarthenshire retains mid table status and Ceredigion tops the attainment table, Pembrokeshire slides down the table to 16th out of 22 Welsh local authorities.
A more worrying underlying trend across all Welsh local authority areas is that in no Welsh local authority area do more than half of pupils eligible for free school meals attain the equivalent to A* to C grades at GCSE level.
According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s UK Poverty 2017 report, the attainment gap between children from richer and poorer backgrounds at the age of 11 years old has fallen in recent years from 26% to 14%. However, by the age of 16 years old (Key Stage 4) the attainment gap is 31%. A huge amount depends on how well a young person does at school in year 11. Whether they can go on to study A levels or even do an apprenticeship often depends on getting the golden ticket of 5 A*-C GCSEs.
Yet the latest 2016/17 GCSE Examination results show that a huge proportion of our young people are not getting to this level, with those who are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) doing much worse.
The cohort sitting their GCSE exams last year were the first to take the new versions of GCSE Maths and English. The overall proportions of year 11’s achieving 5 A*-C GCSEs including maths and English/Welsh first language have dropped from 60.3% in 2015/16 to 54.6% in 2016/17. There is also a dramatic drop in students achieving any 5 GCSEs A*-C, from 84% to 67%.
Many more young people who are eligible for FSM are leaving school without the qualifications they need. The proportion of year 11’s that were eligible for FSM who achieved 5 A*-C GCSEs including maths and English/Welsh language dropped by 7 percentage points since 2015/16, and more worryingly have dropped by 30.3% for any 5 A*-C GCSEs, compared to 5.8% and 15.4% for those who were not eligible.
The State of the Nation report explains that at Key Stage 4 the biggest attainment gaps are to be found in some of the least deprived areas of Wales. Monmouthshire has the lowest concentration of deprived areas in Wales but has an attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils of over 41%. But even if good educational outcomes are achieved, across west Wales the opportunities to earn more than the Living Wage are limited.
Over a quarter of people employed in Carmarthenshire earn below the Living Wage and the figures for Ceredigion (29%) and Pembrokeshire (32%) is even worse. While the unemployment rates across Wales are falling, increasing employment – often insecure, seasonal, or low-paid – is not creating greater prosperity.
In addition, the ratchet effect of low wages over a longer period of time combined with poor education outcomes at Year 11 for those from the poorest families suggests that low-earning is likely to continue.
As increasing numbers of workers fail to earn a basic living wage, the gap between those who have and those who have not is both wide and getting wider.
News
Tipi wedding venue refused by Pembrokeshire planners
A CALL to keep a wedding venue tipi where guests are greeted by alpacas has been turned down by Pembrokeshire planners.
Mr R Lloyd and Ms C Davies sought permission for the retention of a seasonal wedding events venue with the siting of a tipi and formation of ancillary parking area on land next to Redberth Gardens, Redberth, near Tenby.
Members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, meeting on April 23, were recommended to refuse the retrospective application for the ‘Serenity Garden’ tipi venue, erected in August 2023.
Serenity Garden, on its website, says the tipi offers a “very special wedding venue, set in the heart of the Pembrokeshire countryside,” with “friendly resident alpacas, teddy bear sheep, goats, ducks and Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs” greeting guests.
A planning statement supporting the application says it is anticipated that there would be approximately 15 wedding events during the season.
Concerns about the application have been raised by nearby St Florence Community Council, along with seven objections from the public, on issues including the potential impact on local residents, no site notice, added traffic, no local benefits, security concerns, and claims that bookings and deposits are already being taken for events.
A report for planners said: “Whilst the tipi is described as a temporary structure, it would have a level of permanence in that it would be erected in early April and remain on site until the end of October to minimise the effort of dismantling it after each planned event.”
It concludes: “The proposal represents an unjustified form of development in a countryside location. In addition, the application fails to include sufficient information to demonstrate that the suitable drainage infrastructure can be incorporated into the site, that noise levels would not have a detrimental impact on local amenity and that biodiversity would be protected and enhanced.”
Speaking at the April meeting, Agent Richard Banks said the tipi was not a permanent structure and there were no permanent homes near the site, those nearby being holiday cottages.
Referring to the retrospective nature of the application, he said the applicants were “guilty of being confused by permitted development rights” of 14 days, the intent to have 14 weddings, the application correcting that misinterpretation.
Objector Matt Sutton said the leaseholders of the holiday lets’ quiet enjoyment of their properties would be “significantly affected,” with fears music and corporate events would be held at the site.
He described the application as “riding roughshod over neighbours’ rights”.
Cllr Rhys Jordan, who later stressed the committee was “not anti-business,” moved the scheme be rejected.
Cllr Jordan stressed the need for applicants to work with planners.
“This committee is not anti-business, it’s a shame we’re in a position here where we could be having to refuse an application.
“Engage with us; that’s going to cost greatly to the applicant, this committee certainly isn’t anti-business and anti-growth.”
The application was refused by 13 votes, with one abstention.
News
52-home Pembrokeshire development backed by planners
A NEAR-£10m Pembrokeshire residential development of 52 homes has been backed by planners despite concerns it will provide just four affordable homes.
In an application before Pembrokeshire County Council’s April planning committee, Wakefield Pembrokeshire Ltd sought permission for the development, which includes four one-bed affordable housing units, on land near Pilgrims Way, Roch.
Committee members were recommended to approve the council’s head of planning be delegated to approve the application, subject to the completion of a Section 106 planning obligation, making community financial contributions.
18 objections to the scheme were received, raising concerns including an “inadequate” affordable housing level, it being a high density development for a rural area, a loss of green space, the size of some of the homes, and pressures on existing services and facilities, and fears it may lead to an increase in second homes.
Nolton & Roch Community Land Trust (N&RCLT) has raised its concerns about a lack of affordable homes at the development, calling for a 20 per cent affordable homes element, as recommended by policy.
An officer report for members, recommending conditional approval, concluded: “It is apparent that the proposed development is not fully policy compliant, insofar as it cannot deliver the indicative 20 per cent affordable housing sought [by policy].
“However, a substantial positive social impact will arise through the provision of housing, including four one-bed affordable housing units, in meeting identified needs for both market and affordable housing.
“Financial obligations identified to mitigate adverse impacts arising from the proposed development cannot be met in full. However, [policy] acknowledges that in such circumstances contributions may be prioritised on the basis of the individual circumstances of each case.”
Speaking at the meeting, agent Gethin Beynon said the project had a “significant economic value” of around £10m, and the local applicant had “a sense of stewardship to the local community,” offering affordable housing and community infrastructure towards highways and education.
He said that changes to the affordable homes provision would make the scheme unviable following “dramatic changes” in labour costs post-Covid.
Dave Smith of Nolton & Roch Community Land Trust said, on the issue of affordable housing, there was a local need for more two and three-bed properties, adding: “More than a third of dwellings are already second homes, holiday lets or empty properties; villages and communities are being hollowed out.”
Moving approval, Cllr Mark Carter said the scheme was good but “could be better for the community” with more and larger affordable homes.
Cllr Jordan Ryan expressed his concern at the small number of affordable units, and was told that, while officers shared disappointment at the number, it was based on two independent viability assessments.
The application was backed by nine votes to four.
News
Latest chance to access community grant funding opens
THE Enhancing Pembrokeshire Grant is open and Expressions of Interest (EOI) are welcome.
More than £4million of funding has been distributed to areas where the impact of second home ownership is highest since Pembrokeshire County Council set up the Enhancing Pembrokeshire Grant.
Funded by the Council’s second home council tax premium, there is £700,000 available in 2024-2025 for small and large community groups and projects across the county.
A total of £300,000 is available for small grants up to £15,000 and £400,000 has been allocated for large grants up to £100,000. Small grants are assessed on a rolling programme throughout the year. The closing date for EOIs to the large grant scheme is 14th June, with full applications needed by 12th July 2024.
There is a focus on the well-being objectives including equipping learners with lifelong skills and knowledge for the future; prevention and ensuring vulnerable people are safe; initiatives that deliver decarbonisation, manage climate adaptation and tackle the nature emergency; projects that support communities and build active, resourceful, connected, sustainable and creative places to live and activity that supports the Welsh language within communities
More information about what can be funded and how to apply can be found on the Pembrokeshire County Council website.
To register a project, request an EOI form and access support please email [email protected].
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