News

Bullyboy Bryn caused Audit Chair to resign

Published

12 years ago

August 9, 2014

Tom Sinclair

Revealed explosive letter – Cllr. Jacob Williams

By Jon Coles, Assistant Editor

EAST WILLIAMSTON Councillor, Jacob Williams, has exclusively revealed the explosive content of a letter sent to IPPG Leader Jamie Adams by former Audit Committee Chair John Evans MBE.

The letter exposes the extent of Bryn Parry Jones’ paranoia about the Herald’s coverage of the grants scandal that has engulfed the Council and the campaign of Councillor Mike Stoddart to expose the Council’s maladministration of public money in the Commercial Property Grants Scheme in Pembroke and Pembroke Dock.

In May, after the Herald revealed that Council’s European Manager Gwyn Evans had tampered with meeting minutes, the Council’s CEO summoned John Evans MBE, senior officers and two councillors to his office and demanded that that one of them own up to being responsible for the leak. If the person responsible did not own up, the CEO threatened those present with a “private investigator” to discover the mole’s identity.

Mr Parry Jones’ threat seems to suggest that he regards himself as above the rules lately adopted by his own employers as to the treatment of whistle blowers who make revelations in the public interest.

As it happens, the Herald can allay Mr Parry Jones’ paranoia. We can confirm that nobody at that meeting revealed that Gwyn Evans was responsible for tampering with potential evidence in a criminal investigation. We can also confirm that no serving councillor was responsible for giving us that information.

Jacob Williams, whose website contains the full text of Mr Evans’ letter, reports:

“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.”

“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” his independence as the committee’s statutory lay member.”

CEO under fire: Bryn Parry Jones

No doubt, Mr Parry Jones’ bullyboy tactics and his attempt to intimidate senior officers, councillors and a distinguished lay chair of a key Council committee was such a run of the mill event at County Hall that IPPG Leader Jamie Adams failed to mention it when responding to a question at the last full council meeting about the circumstances that led to John Evans MBE’s resignation as Audit Committee Chair.

In addition, the letter allows the inference to be reasonably drawn that two unelected officers had chosen to overturn the decision of a democratic committee of the Council in order to shield those officers responsible or culpable in other officers’ incompetence.

Those officers, Jon Haswell and Kerry MacDermott, respectively directors of human resources and head of audit, chose to ride rough-shod over a decision made by a democratically elected Council Committee to inquire into how, why and at whose behest Gwyn Evans had tampered with meeting minutes and also about the terms and extent of an inquiry into the administration of the grants scheme generally.

The letter confirms that far from there being no “obvious disagreement” – a turn of phrase that had to have been provided to Cllr Adams by either Messrs Haswell or MacDermott – the terms and magnitude of that disagreement are amply demonstrated by the content of the letter the IPPG leader received well before he delivered his scripted answer to Cllr Mike Stoddart’s question about John Evans MBE’s resignation.

Jon Haswell, Director of Finance, was in charge of the process of appointing John Evans MBE’s replacement. As The Herald wrote, he will be hoping to appoint someone more biddable than the former chairman.

With the CEO exposed as a bully and the IPPG leader as someone who can most generously be described as being extremely “economical with the truth”, the culture of cover up and cant at County Hall has been laid bare.

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6 Comments

Andrew Lye

August 9, 2014 at 11:02 pm

If this is true, this is totally unacceptable.

Can the Iron Dome protect him this time? Seems like the killer missiles are breaching it.

Is the writing on the wall?
Concerned

August 9, 2014 at 11:25 pm

Who has the balls to pull the trigger. Surely if no one on PCC has, WG must.
David Gardner

August 9, 2014 at 11:48 pm

At last what we have all guessed / believed was going on in the darkened corridors of power at County Hall is being revealed in the bright spotlight of the media. Further light has yet to be shed into more grimy corners before all the story is known, but known it will be now that people are losing their fear of speaking out. Not before time those who have ruled with fear are learning what it is like to be the ones on the run. Keep up the good work ‘Pembrokeshire Herald’ and hopefully one day soon we will have a Council that has the needs and interests of Pembrokeshire at heart rather than self interest.
Roy Mcgurn

August 10, 2014 at 11:48 am

Economy with the truth is a rather restrained way of putting it! This authority is the most economical in Wales. Changing a fact is not economy with the truth, it\\’s a falsehood. Mr Adams should heed a quote from Abraham Lincoln, \\”Telling the truth is easier than lying as one doesn\\’t have to keep making it up.\\”A clear and honest statement from the Leader on the whole grants affair is needed, though I suspect if he did, heads would have to roll, including his own!
Ann Hackett

August 10, 2014 at 7:33 pm

Keep up the good work herald get to the truth and get BPJones OUT and who ever else, who doesnt have the people of pembrokshire at the top of thier priorities they are supposed to be a council for the people not corruption and lies,if they dont pull their socks up soon they wont be needed as a council for Pembrokshire,they are cutting this and that all the time but we still have to pay rates top whack yet BPJones gets away with all sorts NOT ON GET HIM OUT TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM
Bob Wheatley

August 11, 2014 at 12:30 pm

Reading all this should be making those people who do not vote begin to realise why they should vote and why millions of men died for their right to vote. did they die in vain? Democracy means that we the public elect a member of the local population to represent us on council. How can you vote for a person who is being told what to do by the people who he/she is supposed to be monitoring I resigned from council because the members thought they were above the law and regulations on the way councils should be run. I enjoyed serving my community but I was a servant of the people who put me there. not to see what I could get from it.BPJ thinks that he is above the law and regulations, but he is not and he also feels that we have to pay him this vast amount of money because you have to pay if you want the best Well he is not the best and in fact I know at least six men who could do his job better than him at a third the price If he employs a private detective to find out who leaked information I hope he is going to pay for it out of his own pocket I am fed up about hearing, about my hard earn\’t money paying for his defence.We pay our rates for B P J to provide us with services. He is cutting hours for the people who are providing those services, and who cannot afford to have their hours cut whilst giving himself and his cronies pay rises to keep them sweet. You watch out Mr Adams he will surely drag you down with him if you are not careful. You must have a lot to hide Bryn be careful or it all might come out just how naughty you have been

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.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been approached for comment.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, support is available from Samaritans free of charge, 24 hours a day, on 116 123.

Image: File photo