News

UK no deal plans to hit ports

Published

6 years ago

July 20, 2020

TRADE negotiations between the UK and EU continued in London last week.
The talks, aimed at reaching agreement on the future relationship between the two after December 31, appear no further forward. The EU has, however, significantly upped the ante between Westminster and Brussels.
The EU announced it will impose full border customs checks from January next year. The chief trading port between the UK and Europe (to Dominic Raab’s horrified surprise in his former post as Brexit Secretary) is Dover.
If the EU insists on customs checks on goods entering from the UK, there will be delays in Calais. Delays in Calais will inevitably lead to delays at Dover. Because of the physical constraints of the Port at Dover and the relatively poor road transport infrastructure leading to it, delays at Dover could lead to severe traffic problems on the town’s approach roads and also on the wider road network in England’s south east.
The Government, to howls of anguish from Conservative MPs in the south of England, is already preparing significant traffic control measures and advancing plans for a massive lorry park in Ashford, Kent, which voted 60-40 to leave the EU and knew what it was getting.
AS IN DOVER…
The chief ferry ports in Wales are in Holyhead, Fishguard, and Pembroke Dock: all of them will be affected by the new customs procedure, which runs a coach and horses through the Prime Minister’s guarantee of no border in the Irish Sea.
Stena has already expressed concern about the limited space available to it to hold lorries at Fishguard and Holyhead. Former border check areas in Holyhead were built over and physical constraints at Fishguard militate against further expansion there.
The situation at Pembroke Dock is slightly different, in that there remains room to expand the holding facilities due to the Royal Dockyard’s physical footprint.
Any delays, however, would have a continuing knock-on effect on the speed at which freight could be carried from the Port without a seamless customs procedure.

PM SAID NO CHECKS

Last December, PM Boris Johnson disavowed the content of a Treasury document which said border checks on goods transported from the island of Ireland would be necessary.
He claimed that under the deal he negotiated no checks were necessary and the expert report was ‘wrong’.
The Government has long since reneged on promises regarding trade between Northern Ireland and the UK mainland and now the EU is ensuring Mr Johnson’s government sticks to the agreement it negotiated, presumably in good faith, or leaves without a deal.
“Government-commissioned research for the Port of Dover carried out by University College London concluded a 70-second questioning and inspection of lorries entering Britain would lead to six-day-long queues,” said WTO Director Keith Rockwell.
“UK Government analysis says average trade costs will rise by 13% (10% on non-tariff barriers) and they predict a 37% decline in trade volume.”
Mr Rockwell also pointed out that the WTO would have a say over any attempt to strike an interim deal with the EU ahead of thrashing out final details on tariff agreements and market access.

A CHANGE OF TUNE

Until last weekend, the Westminster Government insisted that claims there would be customs checks were so much hot air. However, over the weekend, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove appeared on television, on radio, and in print, to set out how the Government proposes to tackle an entirely foreseeable problem of its own making.
Having engaged in fanciful suggestions that the UK would use non-existent technological solutions to cross-border trade, the meat finally met the metal as the Government faced up to the outcome of its failure to abide by the terms of an agreement it signed only last October.
Mr Gove promised £700m to address the issue. It was not clear whether the whole of the £700m was new money or whether the jobs the investment is supposed to create were already accounted for in Westminster’s so-far-failed attempt to recruit Border Patrol staff. Some of the money for ports’ infrastructure had already either been spent or announced previously.
Whatever the answer, the problems are clear.
Goods will pass more slowly through ports with knock-on effects for the UK’s supply chain and manufacturers. Haulage companies face significant problems in complying with the limits on drivers’ working time if delays prove intractable. Increased haulage costs and bureaucracy will, inevitably, lead to price rises for products’ end users and ordinary consumers.

HALF-BAKED DEAL NOT DONE

While the Prime Minister spent much of November and December’s General Election campaign trumpeting his ‘over-ready’ deal, since the election his government has tried to distance itself as much as possible from what it agreed upon with the EU in October 2019. Mr Johnson’s deal now appears not so much ‘oven-ready’ as half-baked.
The current suggestion is a so-called pre-lodgement model, where customs declarations are submitted electronically in advance, before a truck is allowed to enter the port and board a ferry.
Companies have to get a reference number from a new and untested IT platform which, with fewer than six months to go to the transition period’s end, is still being developed.
The UK Government’s record in the procurement and delivery of major IT projects is un-encouraging.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK Government has given traders a six-month grace period on complying with new red tape for EU imports. However, the EU has said it will impose full controls on exports from the U.K. as soon as it completes its split from the bloc, due on Jan. 1.

INDUSTRY REACTS

Commenting, RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “RHA members, and traders in general, need clarity on how they will be expected to run their businesses from January 2021.
“What worries us is that at the moment, the UK hasn’t hired anything like the number of customs agents needed to process the new form-filling.
“The UK is very slow off the starting blocks on hiring thousands of staff to do this vital work. If we don’t tackle this fast it’s a recipe for disruption to the supply chain post-transition which affects us all.
“Even if the new agents are hired trained by 31 December, firms still don’t know what forms will be required, how they should be completed, who should complete which forms, or where they will need to be sent.
“This is vital information that firms need to have as soon as possible, and should already have received if they’re to have enough time to prepare for the new trading arrangements with the EU.
“The RHA is again repeating its demands for clarity from the Government, who simply must provide this vital information if the UK supply chain is to continue to operate smoothly from January 1, 2021.”
Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive of the British Ports Association, welcomed Mr Gove’s announcement of further invest, but added: “Borders infrastructure of course means there will be some impact on freight and potentially flows of traffic. We therefore pressing for the pragmatic enforcement of such processes so that trucks and cargo are not held up at our ports. Of course there is still a huge amount to prepare for and operators across the freight and logistics sectors will need to understand what will be required and what this will mean for their businesses.
“Port operators are keen to see the detail of our future borders arrangements. The Government is setting out its new Border Operating Model and a new publicity campaign for the freight sector and we look forward to discussing these with officials.
“About half of our trade is with the EU and so this is why we need to get the arrangements right.”

Crime

Nottingham triple killer linked to alleged Pembrokeshire incident involving animal

Published

39 minutes ago

March 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FRESH details have emerged about Nottingham attacker Valdo Calocane, linking him to a previously reported incident in Pembrokeshire involving alleged violence towards an animal.

Calocane carried out a fatal knife attack in Nottingham in the early hours of Tuesday, June 13, 2023, killing University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both aged 19, along with 65-year-old Ian Coates. He also attempted to kill three others.

The then 31-year-old was later given a hospital order in January 2024 after admitting three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, as well as three counts of attempted murder.

It had previously been established that Calocane was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020 and had been detained under mental health legislation on multiple occasions. Reports also indicated he experienced auditory hallucinations, which he said caused him difficulties.

He had been discharged from the care of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in September 2022, less than a year before the killings. That decision was later criticised in a Care Quality Commission report.

Now, an inquiry hearing on Tuesday, March 18 has been told of a possible earlier incident during Calocane’s time in Pembrokeshire.

Evidence presented to the inquiry stated that a former housemate, who lived with Calocane while he was attending Pembrokeshire College, contacted police following the Nottingham attacks. She claimed he had a history of mental health problems dating back several years.

The witness also described an incident involving alleged violence towards an animal, although full details were not disclosed during proceedings.

The inquiry further heard that Calocane’s mother had previously spoken about him being bullied both in Portugal and the UK, where the family lived in what was described as a predominantly white community.

A consultant forensic psychiatrist who assessed Calocane while he was in custody noted unusual behaviour during evaluations, including inappropriate smiling and a refusal to engage with questions about hearing voices.

The inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the Nottingham attacks is ongoing.

Community

Narberth to host climate briefing and Senedd hustings

Published

1 hour ago

March 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Community invited to engage in key discussions ahead of election

TWO major public events focusing on climate challenges and Welsh democracy are set to take place in Narberth next month, with organisers encouraging residents to attend and take part.

The first event is a screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing film, which explores the growing risks posed by climate change and environmental damage to everyday life in Britain.

The screening will be held at the Bloomfield Centre in Narberth on Friday, April 17 at 7:00pm.

The film features contributions from leading UK experts across climate science, food security, health, economics and national security. It aims to provide a clear and evidence-based overview of how environmental changes are already affecting communities, as well as outlining potential responses.

Organisers say the initiative is strictly non-partisan and is supported by a wide range of organisations, including the National Trust, the Church of England, Exeter University, the Royal Meteorological Society and WWF.

Following the 45-minute screening, attendees will be invited to take part in a structured discussion focusing on what the issues mean for Pembrokeshire, including local resilience, preparedness and long-term planning.

A second event, a Green community hustings ahead of the Senedd elections, will take place the following week.

The hustings will be held at The Queens Hall, Narberth, on Friday, April 24 at 7:00pm, and will give residents the opportunity to meet candidates standing in the Ceredigion Penfro constituency and put questions directly to them.

Organisers say the event will include refreshments and an open discussion following the formal hustings.

Pembrokeshire Friends of the Earth, who are hosting both events, say they hope the gatherings will encourage informed debate and greater public engagement ahead of the upcoming Senedd election.

Residents unable to attend are invited to submit written messages to be shared during the events.

Community

Historic estate nears capacity after attracting 60 new organisations

Published

1 hour ago

March 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Major Carmarthen site transformed into thriving health and wellbeing campus

PARC DEWI SANT in Carmarthen is approaching a major milestone after attracting 60 organisations in just two years, transforming the historic estate into one of Wales’ most significant integrated health and wellbeing campuses.

***Mark Andrews, Director of Parc Dewi Sant***

Set within 38 acres of the former St David’s psychiatric hospital site, the campus is now home to around 80 occupiers spanning primary care, therapy and rehabilitation services, nursing education, specialist autism provision, charities, and a wide range of community organisations.

Demand for space within the main buildings has been strong, with most now fully occupied. Attention is turning to two remaining buildings on the estate which require substantial restoration and are expected to form the next phase of development.

The owners say discussions are already underway with potential partners interested in repurposing the buildings for further healthcare, rehabilitation, and community-based services. They are seeking organisations that can help maximise the long-term potential of the site before major refurbishment work begins.

Future uses under consideration include nursing care provision, mental health step-down accommodation, and complementary services designed to strengthen the wider health and wellbeing network already established at Parc Dewi Sant.

Originally developed in the 19th century as a county asylum and later used for NHS mental health services until 2001, the estate has been reimagined as a modern campus focused on prevention, education, and community wellbeing.

Today, a broad range of services operate from the site. These include GP provision alongside NHS clinics such as diabetic eye screening, antenatal services, weight management, and smoking cessation programmes.

Community-based services including social prescribing, the Hywel Dda Community Resource Team, and the Parent and Infant Feeding Group are also based there, alongside specialist facilities such as Hafen Derwen and the Cwm Seren mental health unit.

In addition to clinical provision, the campus hosts a variety of wellbeing, leisure, and support organisations, including the Better Health and Wellbeing Hub, Hwybod + gym, and a range of therapy and rehabilitation services supporting both physical and mental health.

Parc Dewi Sant serves a strategic catchment of around 187,000 people across Carmarthenshire and is located close to Glangwili Hospital, offering complementary services focused on prevention, recovery, and community care.

Mark Andrews, Director of Parc Dewi Sant, said: “It has been a privilege to become custodians of such a historic and important estate in the heart of Carmarthen.

“From the outset we believed the site had enormous potential, and it is incredibly rewarding to see such a vibrant community of organisations now operating here.

“To have 80 occupiers on site, including 60 who have joined us in the past two years, is a fantastic milestone and a real testament to the vision for Parc Dewi Sant.

“As the main buildings reach capacity, our focus now turns to the remaining buildings and how they can be brought back into productive use.

“We would welcome conversations with organisations that can bring complementary services and ideas to the site and help us continue building a campus that supports health, wellbeing, and community life across Carmarthenshire.”

Organisations based at the campus say the environment has created new opportunities for collaboration and improved service delivery.

Meddygfa Parc, a new NHS GP surgery, relocated to the site from the town centre last month.

Jodi Bateman from the surgery said: “We feel incredibly fortunate to have moved to the beautiful surroundings of Parc Dewi Sant. This exciting new chapter allows us to continue providing high-quality care in a welcoming and modern environment.

“Our new premises give us the space and facilities to expand and develop the services we offer, helping us to better meet the needs of our growing community.”

The site will also host a free public open day on Saturday (Mar 14), giving local residents the opportunity to explore the campus and meet some of the organisations based there.