News

Bryn furious over leak to The Herald

Published

12 years ago

August 9, 2014

BRYN PARRY-JONES lost his temper, and threatened to hire in a private investigator to find out who was leaking information to The Herald, it was revealed on Saturday night (August 9).

Cllr. Jacob Williams has revealed on his website, jacobwilliams.com, that on May 13, the chairman of the Audit Committee, John Evans MBE, was summoned to see Parry-Jones at an emergency meeting.

It was in response to the story he had read on the front page of The Pembrokeshire Herald, Cllr. Williams said.
The East Williamston member wrote: “The Pembrokeshire Herald ran comprehensive coverage of the tampering scandal, and highlighted that these documents could be key pieces of evidence in an impending criminal investigation.”

He added: “The Herald dubbed the then unnamed officer the ‘minutes meddler’ – and featured the scandal in great detail over numerous editions, detailing the extent of the alterations to several documents, and citing statute which suggests the officer’s alterations constituted a criminal offence in its own right.”

Bryn Parry-Jones held up this edition and demanded to know who leaked information, according to John Evans MBE

In our May 9 edition under the headline ‘MINUTES MEDDLER UNMASKED,’ we revealed the identity of the council officer who had tampered with the grant panel meeting minutes, and also disclosed that the disciplinary process into the officer’s actions had resulted in just a written warning – one of the lowest sanctions possible.

Cllr. Williams says on his website that a letter between John Evans MBE and council leader Cllr. Jamie Adams reveals that Bryn Parry-Jones “held aloft a copy of the Pembrokeshire Herald and demanded to know who present had disclosed to the newspaper the name of the Officer who had tampered with the CPGS Grant minutes.”

The letter has been forwarded to all members of the Audit Committee by John Evans.

Cllr. Williams continued: “The Chief Executive stated that the only people to know the identity of the Officer were those present at the meeting bar one who was away on business and this unprecedented situation required immediate resolution.”

According to the letter Parry-Jones then “requested that those responsible own up then and there”, and after nobody did own up, he “threatened to engage a private investigator to investigate everyone present if no one would admit to the disclosure of the officers name.”

The full text of the letter can be seen on Cllr. Jacob Williams’ website.

John Evans MBE – resigned as Audit Committee chairman

Mr. Evans claims that this “threat” caused him “great anguish and concern,” as he was “uncertain of the extent of the activities that a private investigator would resort,” and in his letter to Cllr. Adams he questioned whether it could have included “surveillance” and “phone hacking”.

Mr. Parry-Jones is then claimed to have “instructed all present to issue a signed written statement of discussions or meetings during which the identity of the officer could have been revealed.”

Jacob Williams has posted that the meeting “ended in a stunned silence” and left Mr. Evans “shocked at the tone, attitude and hostility of the Chief Executive,” and says that the “hostile nature of the encounter” instigated by Mr. Parry-Jones and such “intimidation” had “violated” and “compromised” the Audit Chairman John Evans’ independence as the committee’s statutory lay member.

Cllr. Williams reports that the Audit Chairman’s no-nonsense letter expresses disappointment that Cllr. Adams failed to contact him following his resignation, and that he felt he was owed a ‘duty of care.’

Mr. Evans told Cllr. Adams that the more appropriate course of action for Mr. Parry-Jones to have taken under the circumstances was a one-to-one meeting, concluding: “Clearly it would appear that such an appropriate manner is below the high office of Chief Executive of Pembrokeshire County Council.”
In an interesting twist, Mr. Evans claims that during his inspection of grant scheme documentation, as well as the tampered minutes he also uncovered significant shortcomings of the Grant administration, control and scrutiny, Cllr. Williams said.

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE ON JACOB WILLIAMS WEBSITE VISIT:
http://jacobwilliams.com/6285/molehunt/

News

Here is an improved version in a cleaner news style:

Published

3 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Students to get wider access to EMA support

MORE students in Pembrokeshire could soon qualify for a £40-a-week education grant as the Welsh Government expands eligibility for the Education Maintenance Allowance.

From September, an extra 1,500 students aged 16 to 18 across Wales will be able to claim the weekly payment, which is designed to help young people stay on in education.

Eluned Morgan MS welcomed the change, saying it would allow more families in Pembrokeshire to benefit from the support.

She said: “Wales already has the most generous EMA offer in the UK. Under a Tory government it was scrapped in England, while Scotland and Northern Ireland offer students less money than in Wales.

“EMA helps young people with costs like books, transport and meals – all things which can affect the cost of living for families.

“Every young person deserves the opportunity to reach their potential, so I am proud that, because of Welsh Labour choices, more students will be supported to do so.”

More than 18,000 students in Wales currently receive EMA, which is available to learners aged 16 to 18 from households below a set income threshold.

The Welsh Government said the latest expansion will mean even more young people can access weekly support from September.

Eluned Morgan said: “The Welsh EMA is breaking down barriers for learners in Pembrokeshire. Everybody deserves an equal opportunity to access education, and providing £40 a week to those eligible is one of the ways in which the Welsh Labour Government is making this a reality.

“Hundreds of learners in Pembrokeshire claim their EMA every year. At £40 a week, Welsh Labour delivers the most generous offer in the UK.

“I know this money makes a real difference for students and their families with the cost of living.

“And, of course, the Welsh Government’s £1 bus fare scheme for young people is helping to make the EMA go even further for families across Pembrokeshire.

“I would urge all 16 to 18-year-olds and their families in the county to take a few minutes to check whether they qualify for support.”

EMA can be used to help with education-related costs including transport, meals and study supplies.

Applications for the new EMA offer open on Monday (Apr 27).

Students and families can check eligibility and apply through Student Finance Wales, or speak to their school or college.

If you want, I can also turn this into a fuller Pembrokeshire Herald article with headline and subheading.

News

Emergency services respond to incident in Haverfordwest town centre

Published

4 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

EMERGENCY SERVICES were called to an incident in Haverfordwest town centre on Saturday morning (Apr 4), with police and ambulance crews attending near County Sports.

Pedestrians were asked to avoid part of the area while the incident was being dealt with, causing some disruption in the town centre.

A witness told The Herald they were walking towards Old Bridge when they were stopped from going through.

The witness said: “I was walking towards the Old Bridge and was told that I had to go around due to a medical emergency.”

The nature of the incident has not yet been officially confirmed.

The Herald understands the emergency response remained in place for some time as crews dealt with the situation.

We have contacted Dyfed-Powys Police for comment.

News

Teenager intervenes after bridge incident

Published

4 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A TEENAGER was left shaken after stepping in to help a young woman in distress on Clay Lanes bridge in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The Herald understands the 18-year-old was walking through Clay Lanes at around 4:10am when he noticed a young woman standing on the road bridge over the bypass.

Concerned that something was wrong, he approached her and tried to engage her in conversation. When she remained polite but dismissive, he walked a short distance away and called police before returning to stay nearby.

According to information passed to The Herald, officers arrived a short time later. It is understood the young woman then attempted to go over the bridge, but the teenager pulled her back to safety as police responded and called for further assistance.

His father, who contacted The Herald, said the young man had been badly shaken by the incident.