PEMBROKESHIRE councillors have backed trialling a new way of enforcing bylaws restricting dogs on beaches in the summer season, with an emphasis on “education over enforcement”.

In previous years, between May 1 and September 30, dogs are completely banned on Tenby North Beach and Whitesands in St Davids, along with partial bans at Lydstep, Newgale beach and promenade, Saundersfoot beach and promenade, Tenby Castle and South Beach, Amroth beach and Promenade, Poppit Sands, Broad Haven North, Dale, and Coppet Hall (voluntary ban).

At Pembrokeshire County Council’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of March 27, members heard a council Task and Finish Group meeting had discussed updating the current procedure and, focusing on the education of residents and visitors surrounding dogs on beaches.

“Based on feedback received by members from users both residents and visitors, the view of the group was that a level of enforcement was required but to undertake a trial surrounding a blended approach associated with the issues of warnings for first-time offenders, combined with the issuing of fixed penalty notices where appropriate.”

It added: “This is only for dogs on beaches; dog fouling on the street and beach will continue to be enforced.”

It was recommended to take a three-fold approach: improvements in communication and visibility of the dog-free zones through a review of signage and visibility of Enviro-crime officers, reviewing bylaws, and the trial of a new procedure surrounding the enforcement of dogs on beaches for 2025.

Regarding the dogs on beaches trial, the report for members said there would be an “intelligence-led” approach tackling “hot-spots”.

It added: “The response by the Enviro-crime contractor will be based on the following procedure.  o If individuals are found with dogs within a restricted area, enforcement officers will undertake the following:

• Engage with the dog owners, issue a warning – full contact details will be taken.
• Dog owner will be requested to walk away from the restricted area – failing to do so will result in a FPN being issued.
• Dog owners will be asked to put their dog on a lead – failure to do so will result in a FPN being issued.
• Second offence after a warning will result in a FPN being issued.
• Dog fouling – FPN will be issued.

It concluded: “The view of the task and finish group was these measures would enable a trial season where education is given priority over enforcement, which could then be compared with the 2024 season of full enforcement.

“This will enable the committee to assess the two operating models when reviewed following the 2025 season.”

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Rhys Jordan moved the recommendation, but said “blanket bans” on some of the county’s beaches were “overly punitive on dog owners,” adding: “Responsible owners do look after their dogs, but unfortunately it is the small minority; to have six or seven months of the year that certain beaches are completely banned from dogs is a bit much in my view.”

Committee chair Cllr Mark Carter said: “70 per cent of those caught with dogs are tourists, I really think we’re sending out the wrong message; giving a warning is fair in my mind, it’s good for business and good for tourism; I’m very grateful to officers for getting this to this level.”

Members agreed to back the recommendations of the task and finish group.

A SENEDD Member criticised Natural Resources Wales for showing “very little empathy and understanding” about people’s concerns on the future of visitor centres.

Labour’s Carolyn Thomas voiced concerns about Natural Resources Wales’ (NRW) handling of plans for its Nant yr Arian, Coed y Brenin and Ynyslas visitor centres.

Ms Thomas said: “I feel like it’s not been handled very well, there was very little communication and empathy with people, the communities involved.”

Calling for better engagement, she pressed Huw Irranca-Davies as the Deputy First Minister appeared before the Senedd’s climate committee for scrutiny on March 27.

Ms Thomas chairs the Senedd’s petitions committee which received more than one petition on the topic – with the most popular signed by more than 13,000 people.

The north Walian said: “I was concerned as well about the understanding of Ynyslas … they were saying they are closing … the food and retail offer but it is actually a nature reserve.”

“They felt they struggled to get that across to NRW and when we questioned them, it felt like there was very little empathy and understanding it in that.”

Mr Irranca-Davies replied: “I’m sure NRW will be hearing this as well. I do, just to give you that reassurance, have regular discussions with NRW and we’ve raised this matter of effective communication on what is, and what is not, happening.

“In terms of Ynyslas … I think there is an understanding that the staff within Ynyslas have probably gone above and beyond actually what they are contracted to do, so they’ve also offered advice, signposting, nature advice and so on.

“But there is no intention whatsoever to withdraw from the nature conservancy aspects, the biodiversity aspects – the role that they’re doing out there in the landscape.”

Mr Irranca-Davies, a former MP who served in Gordon Brown’s government, said NRW has decided to step back from the food, catering and retail side to focus on core responsibilities.

“But I think your point is well made,” he said. “The communication and the openness with local people who are really concerned about … the future of nature sites and … staff.”

Labour’s Julie Morgan, herself a former minister, was similarly concerned.

She said: “I’d like to support what Carolyn has said … I’ve been approached from Ynyslas and there was a … feeling of no recognition of the actual work that they were doing….

“It just does seem an unsatisfactory situation.”

Mr Irranca-Davies replied: “It is the catering and retail side that they’re stepping back from and I have to say, in the financial constraints they’re under, that’s probably the right thing to do: to focus on NRW’s core roles.

“But in doing so, the sensitivity of dealing with local communities and … existing staff members is what they have to navigate.

“I don’t envy the role that they’ve gone through, neither do I envy staff who have been in the midst of this, but I would just encourage … as I’ve said to NRW directly: to keep engaging with local communities and staff as they transition here.”

Wales’ environment secretary told the committee he was hopeful about the opportunity for others to step in and provide catering and retail.

“I know that’s one of the added-value pieces for visitors and local people,” he said. “But their focus on conservation, biodiversity and natural processes will continue regardless.”

SENEDD members criticised Labour’s “utterly embarrassing” position on the Crown Estate, with ministers in Cardiff Bay backing devolution while Westminster blocks reform.

Plaid Cymru’s Luke Fletcher said 75% of the public supports devolving powers over the Crown Estate, which owns much of the seabed around Wales and 50,000 acres of land.

The shadow economy secretary told the Senedd: “If I was a member of the Welsh Government, I would be both embarrassed and fuming right now.

“Here we are again, another debate on the Crown Estate, and we’ll see what we always see … Labour MSs getting up to voice their strong support for its devolution, only for them then to be undermined by Labour colleagues in Westminster.”

Mr Fletcher criticised Labour MPs for voting down a Plaid Cymru amendment to the crown estate bill, which called for its devolution, in February.

Pointing out that 17 of 22 councils have backed devolution, he said: “It’s quite unbelievable that Labour MPs in Wales voted down that amendment when it is their party’s policy.”

He argued the UK Government’s arguments against devolution do not stand up to scrutiny.

Mr Fletcher said: “They claim it would fragment the energy market and delay grid connectivity reform, but in reality the current system is already delaying projects.

“At least a Wales-run Crown Estate would have the ability to unlock new developments, set the terms of investment and ensure infrastructure constraints are tackled in Wales’ interest.”

He said funding for Scotland from Westminster was reduced by £10m as a result of devolution in 2017 but the revenue generated was £113m in 2023/24.

But Janet Finch-Saunders argued the Crown Estate should “absolutely not” be devolved to Wales due to the risk of market fragmentation.

The Conservative stated Wales and the UK lead the world on renewables, warning devolution risks making processes more bureaucratic and complicated.

She said: “Our time in this Welsh Parliament should be spent on tackling the real problems facing us here in Wales – not your constant obsession with further devolution.”

Labour’s Alun Davies said he did not understand the UK Government’s position, stressing the question of the devolution of the Crown Estate is deeply practical and philosophical.

Mr Davies read the debate in the House of Commons and was concerned by the response.

He told Senedd members: “You would have thought that the proposal was control of the Crown Estate in Wales be transferred not to a Crown Estate Wales or under the control of this parliament and this government, but to the control of some foreign power.”

Plaid Cymru’s Cefin Campbell said more than £100,000 flows from councils in mid and west Wales to the coffers of the UK treasury and royal family every year.

Mr Campbell told the Senedd: “This debate comes at a time when the financial situation of our councils is at its worst in generations.

“For 15 years now, due to budget cuts under blue and red governments in Westminster, local authorities have been forced to cut public services and increase council tax….

“How on earth, therefore, is it possible to justify, in the age of austerity that we are facing, sending more than £105,000 over the border every year to the British Government and to one of the richest families in the UK, if not the world?

Mr Campbell added: “Either the Welsh [Labour] colleagues here in the Senedd are not very good at making the case to your Westminster colleagues, or they are just not listening. Which is it? Are you, basically, two parties pretending to be one?”

During the debate on March 25, economy secretary Rebecca Evans reiterated the Welsh Government’s position that the Crown Estate should be devolved.

She said: “I’ll just start with a newsflash really … and that’s that Welsh Labour has policy autonomy, so it is natural that there will be points at which we take a different view.”

Welcoming the appointment of a Crown Estate commissioner to represent Welsh interests, she stressed that devolution “will not happen overnight”.

Ms Evans told Senedd members: “Investor confidence in the political and policy landscape is essential to bring the scale of investment that we want to see to Wales. The Crown Estate has played a significant role in attracting international investment.”

The minister, who is responsible for energy and planning, said: “We will continue to press the UK Government…. There is no reason for Wales to be treated differently to Scotland.”