News

Police commissioner puts more bobbies on the beat

Published

12 years ago

July 29, 2014

THE HERALD spoke exclusively with the Police Commissioner for Dyfed Powys Police Force, Christopher Salmon. We asked him a number of questions that the public had forwarded to us, including what value he placed on his role:

“Every day I bring rigorous scrutiny to the spending of public money that amounts to around £100m every year. I also offer 24/7 opportunities for the public to tell the Chief Constable through me what they want from the police who get the majority of that money. “Another important practice my office has brought to the criminal justice system is that of new thinking on behalf of the public. Without us, for instance, there would be no innovation such as our forthcoming mental health triage service. A partnership between Dyfed-Powys Police, Hywel Dda University Health Board, Powys Teaching Health Board and the Welsh Ambulance Service, means the units should be operational by this autumn.”A key area, according to the remit of the Police Commissioner’s role, is that of holding the Police Force to account. Mr Salmon explained how he was performing this task. “Every week I meet the Chief Constable formally. This is an opportunity for him to get my views on what the public want and for me to scrutinise the activities of the police. My new Residents” Panel is just one good example of how I’m positively influencing Dyfed-Powys Police. This is a team of volunteers I’ve recruited to independently scrutinise the police complaints process. With an inquiring and analytical approach, they study public complaint files and recommend improvements to the force’s processes. “The people of Pembrokeshire must trust the police, and one way of building that trust is for the public themselves to scrutinise the complaints process. One of my priorities is professionalism and that extends to the recruitment process. Dyfed-Powys Police is going through a workforce restructuring process right now and the Chief Constable, who employs that workforce, very much wants the right people with the right skills in the right jobs. “I encourage all good people with a professional, public-focused outlook to consider joining the force as an officer, PCSO or member of the civilian support staff. We also have some superb volunteer opportunities, including for Special Constable posts. This web page is a good read http:// www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/en/jointhe- police/police-staff.” Many Pembrokeshire residents, particularly parents, are very concerned about the alarming issue of legal highs, an area in which the Commissioner had a clear message. “I urge parents and pupils to find out more about substance misuse on this website – www.schoolbeat.org. New legal highs frequently contain substances that are not legal and canít be assumed safe. These substances have not been properly tested for toxicity so there is no way of telling how it will affect you. “I am well aware that in May a number of pupils were treated at Pembroke School after a reaction to a psychoactive substance. That was potentially dangerous to those involved and disturbing for their families. Police officers visited the school to provide advice, support and reassurance. If you’re concerned about any substance please make the police aware of your worries.” The Herald wanted to know the importance of crime statistics, and as to whether Christopher Salmon believed these to be significant in the fight against crime. “The important thing about us creating 30 new police officers posts around Dyfed-Powys is not statistics but confidence. The public constantly tell me they want more bobbies on the beat so thatís what I’ve given them. Right now a great deal simply isnít brought to the forceís attention for a number of reasons. Dyfed-Powys remains a low-crime region and, although crime fighting shouldnít be driven by statistics, I do hope the public take some comfort in the figures as they stand. “I also hope that police officers, who do a difficult job, are encouraged. My strategy is to not set targets but to raise confidence levels in our communities. I want to keep communities safe from crime, to protect vulnerable people and to bring people to justice. In Dyfed-Powys there are more bobbies on the beat for a start and the policy at police stations these days is: “When we’re in, we’re open!” Whilst I want officers out and about in local communities, some people still visit them in our stations. I want the public to be more aware than ever of how they can meet or speak to police officers. “You can access the police easily – in person at local meetings or briefings or by visiting a station, or by calling 101 and asking to speak to the local neighbourhood team. You can also find your nearest police station and news of officer activity on the force’s smartphone app. I have high hopes of two new services which I’ve just commissioned. Welsh business Gr’p Gwalia has won a contract to reduce antisocial behaviour across Dyfed- Powys and the charity Hafan Cymru has won a contract to reduce youth offending here. Gwalia will identify and manage risk to people who have experienced antisocial behaviour. “Hafan, with a close focus on substance misuse and domestic abuse, will work with youths who are either at risk of offending or have already done so. With substance misuse and domestic abuse often being factors in the lives of such individuals, Hafan’s project will address such issues. “I also urge Herald readers to take my latest quick-fire survey which lets me know how theywould like minor misdemeanours to be punished. Simply go to www.bit.ly/ DPCRsurvey , phone 01267 226457 or request a form by writing to OPCC, PO Box 99, Llangunnor, Carmarthen, SA31 2PF. The survey closes on July 18”. Finally we asked what were his priorities over the rest of his term, to which he responded: “My priorities remain the same as they have done since I was elected by the people of Dyfed-Powys preventing and dealing with crime; protecting vulnerable people; bringing people to justice; enhancing access to the police; ensuring high standards of professionalism and; spending wisely.”

Business

Council and Ogi invest in future-ready connectivity at Pembrokeshire Innovation Centre

Published

20 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Upgrade at Bridge Innovation Centre aims to give local businesses faster, more reliable and scalable digital infrastructure

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL and Welsh broadband provider Ogi have invested in a major full fibre upgrade at Pembroke Dock’s Bridge Innovation Centre, in a move aimed at supporting business growth and strengthening the county’s digital infrastructure.

The project, announced under embargo until Thursday (Apr 16), replaces the site’s ageing legacy connection with a dedicated business-grade full fibre network designed to meet the needs of modern companies.

A high-capacity symmetrical core connection has been installed, supported by a secondary fibre route to improve resilience. The upgrade is intended to give businesses based at the centre the reliability and capacity they increasingly need as standard.

Ogi engineers said that the job took around two and a half weeks, and represented a major project for the installation team.

Full fibre has also been extended throughout the building, with each office now able to access its own dedicated connection. This means businesses can increase their internet speeds as they expand, without the need for further building work or disruption.

Ogi Chief Executive Officer Sally-Anne Skinner said: “Digital infrastructure shouldn’t be something businesses have to worry about. It needs to be dependable, flexible and ready to grow when they are. That’s exactly what we’ve put in place here.”

The new network has also been built with security and resilience in mind. Managed firewall protection, intelligent traffic management and round-the-clock monitoring have been introduced to help keep services secure and performing effectively, while battery backup systems will protect critical equipment during power interruptions.

Shared spaces within the Innovation Centre have also benefited from improved connectivity, with new high-performance WiFi designed to cope with busy working days, events and collaborative use throughout the building.

Pembrokeshire County Council said the investment is about more than simply improving internet speeds. It is also intended to ensure the Bridge Innovation Centre continues to meet the changing needs of businesses at different stages of development.

Peter Lord, the council’s Principal Officer for Business Development, said: “What businesses tell us they value most is confidence. They want to know the infrastructure around them won’t limit their plans – and this investment gives them that reassurance.”

The council believes the upgrade will help strengthen Pembrokeshire’s appeal as a base for ambitious firms looking to grow sustainably while remaining rooted in the local area.

Sally-Anne added: “When the right infrastructure is already in place, it makes staying and growing locally a much easier decision. That’s how you support long-term economic growth – by giving businesses what they need from day one.”

Ogi said the installation forms part of a wider programme to support business communities across Wales through full fibre networks and managed services designed for long-term use in real working environments.

Photo caption:

Bridge Innovation Centre in Pembroke Dock has received a major full fibre connectivity upgrade (Pic: Supplied).

News

Eluned Morgan calls for AUKUS-linked Brawdy radar project to be halted

Published

32 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

First Minister says plans for major defence development in Pembrokeshire should be paused amid concerns over the USA’s reliability as an ally

ELUNED MORGAN has called for a proposed AUKUS-linked defence project in her constituency to be halted, arguing that the scheme should not proceed while the United States is proving to be what she described as an unreliable ally.

The First Minister of Wales, who is also Labour’s candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, has spoken out as the Ministry of Defence moves forward with plans for the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability programme at Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy, in north Pembrokeshire.

The project forms part of a joint UK, US and Australian initiative and would see a network of ground-based radars installed to track objects in high Earth orbit. Plans for the Pembrokeshire site include 27 large parabolic dishes designed to monitor satellites and space debris.

The Brawdy site would be one of three locations in the programme, alongside bases in the United States and Australia.

Ms Morgan, who lives in St Davids and represents the area in which the base is located, said the proposal should now be paused. She is seeking re-election as Senedd Member for Ceredigion Penfro and is also campaigning to remain First Minister after next month’s Senedd election.

She said: “Trump’s hostility towards the UK and verbal attacks on our nation in the light of the Prime Minister’s refusal to give the US President support in the attack on Iran should lead us to pause our involvement in this proposal.

“His threats to annihilate the Iranian civilisation reached a new low recently and we should not be associating ourselves with such an unreliable partner who threatened war crimes on civilians, and have insulted UK armed forces in terms of their commitment to fight in Afghanistan.”

The pre-application consultation on the scheme has recently ended, and the expectation is that the Ministry of Defence will next submit a formal planning application to Pembrokeshire County Council.

Social media video links were also issued alongside the statement.

News

Plaid vows to push ahead with St Clears station plan

Published

36 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Senedd candidate Nerys Evans says west Wales has been left behind for too long as party renews call for rail investment

PLAID CYMRU has pledged to press ahead with plans to reopen a railway station in St Clears if it forms the next Welsh Government after the Senedd election on Thursday (May 7).

The proposal to restore a station in the Carmarthenshire town, which lost its rail link in the 1960s, was first announced in 2020. But despite years of campaigning and political pressure, the scheme has yet to be delivered.

Nerys Evans, one of Plaid Cymru’s candidates in Carmarthenshire, said communities in west Wales had repeatedly missed out on their fair share of transport investment.

In its manifesto published earlier this month, Plaid Cymru said it would improve rail links across the west of Wales. The party has also repeated its demand for rail powers to be devolved to Wales and for what it says is Wales’ full share of HS2 funding.

Plaid argues that Wales is owed £4 billion after HS2 was classified as an “England and Wales” project, despite no part of the line between Birmingham and London being in Wales.

Speaking near the proposed site of the new station, Ms Evans said Carmarthenshire had every right to feel overlooked.

She said: “There is often a feeling in Carmarthenshire that we are not getting our fair share of funding, and that is absolutely justified. Too often, Wales gets very little, and west Wales even less.

“Plaid Cymru has continuously campaigned for our fair share of rail investment in west Wales, and in government we will ensure fair treatment for communities like St Clears.

“We have outlined how a Plaid Cymru government would bring forward plans to develop our rail infrastructure in the west, including in St Clears, even as we fight for the funding and powers that Wales deserves.

“It is so important that Wales has a government after the election on Thursday (May 7) that is really willing to stand up for its people and communities in order to demand the money and powers that are owed to us, not only when it comes railways, but many other policy areas too.”

The pledge forms part of Plaid Cymru’s wider transport offer ahead of the Senedd election, with the party seeking to make improved rail links a key issue for rural and west Wales communities.

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