News
Luxury motor for CEO?
AS RUMOURS circulate around Pembrokeshire newspaper comment threads and social media about the sighting of a luxury German sports saloon in the County Council’s car park, the Pembrokeshire Herald did some light-hearted digging about a car described on the Top Gear website as ‘truly hideous’.
The Porsche Panamera is shown as a competitively priced, practical car affordable for all families in Pembrokeshire, turning in an economical 23mpg, with four seats and a price tag for purchase ranging from a mere £64K to a highly affordable £131K for the top spec model. The website bestcarfinder.co.uk gives an indicative leasing price of £776 pcm to £820 pcm. Well within the reach of even the lowest paid Council employee, provided they were prepared to eat, sleep and raise their children in it. So, here we have a car that anyone in Pembrokeshire could buy or afford to drive. A prudent choice in these times of straitened public finances, we can all agree. Who would use such a vehicle as their daily transport in times when, as IPPG leader Jamie Adams is ever keen to point out, the budget settlement from the Welsh Government is so ‘challenging’ that he could only create two new Cabinet posts for his IPPG colleagues? It is alleged that despite massive cuts to front line services, driving a luxury sports saloon car could be one of the perks of being the Council’s Chief Executive Officer. Having been asked to hand back over £40K in unlawful payments and embroiled the Council in its biggest scandal since the last one he presided over, the popular and genial Bryn Parry Jones is widelyrumoured to have availed himself of a Porsche Panamera at Council Tax payers’ expense. The Pembrokeshire Herald asked the Council to confirm or deny the rumour, and to confirm – in the event they were true – just how much the CEO’s vehicle arrangements were costing the Council, how the expenditure was being funded and which Council committee approved the expenditure. A council spokesperson said: “The Chief Executive’s contract requires the Authority to provide a car of his choice and to insure it for social, domestic, pleasure and business use for (himself) and all members of (his) immediate family”. “The terms of the Chief Executive’s lease car allowance have been the same since 1995. “The make and model of car chosen by the Chief Executive is entirely a matter for him.”
Crime
Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property
A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.
Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.
The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.
The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.
The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.
News
Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’
THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”
The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.
Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”
NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.
“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.
“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”
The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”
This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.
Community
Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed
RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.
The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.
Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.
Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.
The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.
With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.
“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”
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