News

Members ‘encouraged’ after Riverside purchase call-in

Published

6 years ago

May 14, 2019

MEMBERS of the Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee have been reassured following the call in of a Cabinet members’ decision to look into the purchase of Haverfordwest Riverside.

A number of councillors had been concerned about the decision to appoint a consultant to develop and evaluate proposals for the site’s redevelopment because of the Council’s budgetary position.

Cabinet member for Economy and Tourism, Cllr Paul Miller, made his decision at the end of April as part of wider council plans to revitalise the Town of Haverfordwest.

However, on May 3, that decision was called in by Cllrs Jamie Adams, David Pugh, Brian Hall and Di Clements.

A special meeting of the Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee was called for Tuesday, May 14.
During the meeting a number of points were raised but it was highlighted that the money for the consultants would not be coming out the tax payers money.

At this stage the Council would only be looking at whether or not they should purchase the site and are asking consultants to look into it.

Members were reassured by what they had heard and asked for an update at their September meeting.

Cllr Jamie Adams said that there needed to be some understanding of the desire of the people to see council tax money well spent and added that his worry was that they would be further burdening tax payers.

Cllr Miller said he was very concerned that the Pembrokeshire was becoming a disconnected retirement county but highlighted his strategy for improving the county.

He added that he wanted to get Pembrokeshire better connected in terms of broadband, ensuring that Pembrokeshire has an offer adding that although they were ‘well endowed’ with natural assets, it wasn’t enough ‘on its own’.

His third point was to make sure that the county is discovered and said: “Let’s appoint the right people to guide us through this.”

Cllr Bob Summons asked a number of questions including what due dilligence had been done.

Cllr Miller said some had already been done but added that the majority of it would come when the business case would be considered.

Cllr Summons said that town centres were dying because of online shopping and asked what could be done.

Cllr Miller outlined that the area being considered included Haverfordwest Castle, Bridge Street, the Ocky White building, the Riverside Shopping centre and that redeveloping the multi-storey car park was an area of interest.

He went on to say they would be relying on external consultants as they didn’t have the in-house resources to do so.

A report to the committee stated that finance officers had not been involved but when challenged, Council Leader David Simpson said that they had been involved in discussions over the last two years, just not on the specifics of the project.

Cllr Adams added that the meeting to discuss the concept had only happened on Monday, after the call-in, and asked was it a case of the ‘stable door being bolted after the horse is out’.

Cllr Bob Kilmister said a meeting had been scheduled but because he was away it was put back to Monday.

Cllr Adams asked if it had also been discussed at a meeting of the Strategic Asset Management group.

Cllr Paul Miller said it hadn’t but added that when the business case was made they would be involved.

Cllr Adams also asked about further investment in Bridge Street and Cllr Miller said there would be as part of the Castle project.

He went on to say that the Welsh Government were also involved in this and that they had been asking for all sorts of information.

Cllr Brian Hall warned the Cabinet to ‘be cautious’ or risk the situation coming back to bite them.

After hearing what had been said a number of members were reassured by what had gone on and Cllr David Pugh said he admired the Cabinet’s ambition.

Cllr Simon Hancock asked what the consequences would be if they did nothing adding that he was supportive of the Council trying to do the right thing.

Cllr Tony Wilcox added: “To not engage specialists would be remiss of us. We’ve got to at least go through this process.”

Cllr Tim Evans added he was ‘really encouraged’ by what he had heard and added the consultants would tell them whether this was right or wrong saying: “It’s something we’ve got to go through with.”

Members agreed that an update report should be presented to them at their September meeting.

Crime

Dyfed-Powys Police pays out hundreds of thousands in compensation claims

Published

6 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NEW figures reveal Dyfed-Powys Police has paid out £324,000 in compensation over the past five years, following nearly 200 claims made by members of the public.

A Freedom of Information requests show a whopping 186 claims were lodged against the force between 2019 and 2024, with compensation payments peaking in 2021/2022 at £138,111. Claims included allegations of unlawful arrest, financial losses, personal injury, and failure in duty of care.

In 2019/2020, 36 claims were made, with nine settled. The following year, 22 claims were lodged, with nine again resulting in payouts. Numbers rose to 38 claims in 2021/2022, with 11 settlements, before dropping slightly in 2022/2023 to 36 claims and eight payouts. However, the most recent figures for 2023/2024 show a significant rise, with 54 claims and seven settlements.

Lucy Parker, a solicitor from JF Law, said: “Claims against police forces highlight the importance of accountability. Issues such as wrongful arrest, assault, and negligence must be addressed seriously.”

Nationally, UK police forces have paid out millions in compensation, with property damage from botched raids cited as a frequent reason.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been approached for comment.

News

Rail passengers in west Wales ‘let down’ by hundreds of train cancellations

Published

6 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RAIL passengers in west Wales are being “let down” following the cancellation of more than 650 Transport for Wales (TfW) trains on routes to Swansea and beyond in just 12 months.

Between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, a total of 654 services were cancelled, impacting key routes to Llanelli, Carmarthen, Pembroke Dock, Fishguard, and Milford Haven. The cancellations have sparked frustration among passengers and raised concerns over the reliability of rail services in the region.

Transport for Wales, which took over day-to-day rail operations from Arriva nearly seven years ago, has faced ongoing criticism for service quality. A Rail User Survey in 2023 revealed that only 72% of passengers were satisfied with TfW services, making it the worst-rated operator in the UK at the time. By comparison, Southern Railway scored 80%.

Recent surveys show some improvements. Between February and September 2024, overall satisfaction rose to 85%, with punctuality increasing to 73% and frequency to 66%. However, these numbers remain below national averages, and the situation in west Wales continues to lag behind other regions.

Passengers in west Wales have long expressed frustration over frequent delays and cancellations. One traveller recounted a 60-mile journey from Cardiff Central to Carmarthen that resulted in an overnight stay in Cardiff due to multiple delays and cancellations. Replacement buses offered little reprieve, with onward journeys stretching well into the early hours.

Peredur Owen Griffiths MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for Transport, criticised the situation, saying: “These statistics show that Welsh passengers are being let down. Historical underinvestment in our rail network and infrastructure has led us to this position. In order to create a Welsh rail network that works for the people of Wales, it’s vital that decisions regarding Welsh rail are made in Wales.”

Mr Griffiths added: “Only Plaid Cymru fights for the devolution of rail infrastructure to ensure we can secure consistent investment in our network and deliver reliable services.”

Despite some recent improvements in customer satisfaction, the sheer scale of cancellations highlights ongoing issues with rail services in Wales, particularly in west Wales where consistent, reliable transport remains a challenge for many commuters and travellers.

Charity

Tributes paid to former Tenby RNLI crew member Stuart Fecci

Published

6 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TENBY RNLI is mourning the loss of former Shore Crew member Stuart Fecci, who passed away recently. Stuart served aboard the Henry Comber Brown lifeboat until a tragic accident in 1988 resulted in the loss of his hand.

Despite the injury, Stuart remained a dedicated supporter of Tenby RNLI. The Fecci family has deep roots with the station, including Stuart’s son Samuel, who raised over £300 by completing the RNLI’s Mayday Mile walk in 2021.

Deputy Coxswain Jon Lewis, Stuart’s cousin who carries the Fecci name through his mother, paid tribute: “The last time I spoke to him, he greeted me in a packed Tudor Square as the larger-than-life character he was and shouted, ‘Coxswain Lewis!’ before continuing to congratulate me.”

Stuart will be deeply missed by the entire community. The thoughts of everyone at the station are with his wife Sally and his family during this difficult time.