News
Community project awarded grants from second home council tax revenue
TWENTY-TWO community projects in Pembrokeshire are to share in more than £346,000 in grants from second homes council tax revenue.
The 100 per cent council tax premium on second homes in Pembrokeshire will generate circa £5m for 2022- 23, with 25 per cent allocated to the Enhancing Pembrokeshire Grant Scheme.
Since its inception, 17 grant panels have recommended, and Cabinet has awarded a total of £3,077,837.71 to 178 successful Pembrokeshire projects.
The Grant Panel considered 26 applications in its February 2023 meeting, with four not recommended for approval.
The recommendations for approval, covering a diverse range of groups and communities, total £346,602.78.
The applications considered were forwarded to Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on Monday, March 13, which approved all those recommended.
Applications getting the thumbs-up include £25,920 for Pembroke Dock-based Pembrokeshire Pride to recruit a community engagement officer.
The role will involve organising events designed by Pembrokeshire Pride in consultation with the LGBTQ+ community and providing signposting/support to LGBTQ+ individuals.
Saundersfoot Community Council will receive £20,991.20 for solar powered electronic driver feedback signs on several of the roads leading into the centre of the village.
Saundersfoot Sports and Social Club will receive £28,248.80 to improve changing room infrastructure to support the development of field sports in Saundersfoot, Amroth, New Hedges, and Kilgetty/Begelly.
Tenby Museum and Arts Gallery gets £7,802.50 to employ a part-time events and education officer, Windswept CIC has been awarded £12,750 to run weekly water sports sessions for 30 pupils of Coastlands Primary School, and St Davids’ Festival of Ideas, a three-day bilingual festival, with national speakers, food, sport and music events will receive £13,404.
Other grants include £5,600 for a play are in Amroth, £17,459 for play equipment in Burton, £1,674 for a project to provide a bench to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the erection of the Clunderwen’s war memorial, £31,040.44 for Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture, £900 for East Williamston Community and Hall Association, £13,520 for the second phase of Llanrhian Connected Community, and £25,389 for renovations at Llanrhian’s Trefin Playpark.
Further grants were: Llanteg Village Hall Association (£16,760) to reduce energy usage and carbon footprint at the hall, play equipment for Marloes Recreation Area (£2,466.40), £27,980 for staffing at Milford Youth Matters’ pop-up shop, £19,248 for Neyland Community Hubs, and £10,100 for a community link officer at Pencaer.
Funding of £17,086.24 will support the reopening of Simpsons Cross Community Centre, and Solva Community Council was awarded £21,328 to upgrade the ‘Gamlin’ play area, while St Nicholas Village Hall Committee receives £10,136, and the Victoria Hall Association £16,799.20 to repair its play area.
At the March 13 Cabinet meeting, Councillor Jon Harvey said: “This is all about community; this scheme again just shows how communities can get involved.”
Councillor Rhys Sinnett added: “They are projects that are important to their communities, it’s been an extremely successful scheme throughout its lifespan.”
Entertainment
St Davids Cathedral Music Festival representatives attend Royal Garden Party
SIMON PEARCE, the esteemed Organist and Master of the Choristers at St Davids Cathedral, was honoured to attend a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
The event, celebrating the UK’s Creative and Cultural Industries, featured an array of celebrities, stunning displays of spring gardens, and performances by the Band of The Marines.
Mr Pearce, who attended with his wife Katherine was appointed in 2022 as the Director of Music at the cathedral—a position he has held since 1998 in an assistant capacity—expressed his delight at the opportunity to represent the festival. “Every single moment was to be savoured,” he remarked, noting the “wonderful music, fantastic host of celebs, a sumptuous tea party, stunning gardens and Palace, and glorious British spring weather.”
The St Davids Cathedral Music Festival 2024 will open with a dazzling performance by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on May 25. The orchestra will treat audiences to Mathias’s Festival Overture and Brahms’ Second Symphony.
Adding to the splendour, award-winning violinist Inmo Yang will grace the stage with his rendition of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto.
This year’s festival will also introduce several new performers. The Choir of Royal Holloway is set to debut on May 27, enchanting attendees with choral arrangements of orchestral classics. Local talent is also in the spotlight, with Pembrokeshire-born horn player Simon Lewis performing alongside Trio Preseli on May 26, showcasing works by Welsh composer Anthony Randall.
Adding a touch of environmental consciousness to the festival, clarinet virtuoso Emma Johnson returns on May 28 with her Orchestra for the Environment.
Their repertoire will include pieces by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Johnson’s own composition, ‘The Tree of Life’.
The festival will kick off with the 150-strong Children’s Festival Chorus on May 24, captivating audiences with their youthful energy and a live band.
Throughout the week, the cathedral musicians will feature prominently in several concerts, with the highlight being the full Cathedral choir performing Choral Evensong live on BBC Radio 3.
This prestigious invitation to Buckingham Palace came just two years after Mr Pearce’s official appointment as the Master of Choristers, a role in which he has pledged to continue enhancing the cathedral’s distinguished musical tradition.
At the time of his appointment, the Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, as Dean of St. Davids, praised Mr Pearce’s exceptional talents, saying, “It has been a pleasure to enjoy the excellence of Simon’s playing and conducting over the years.”
Under his leadership, the Cathedral Choir and Choral Foundation have been furthering their well-deserved reputation for excellence. “St Davids Cathedral is a spiritually inspiring and beautiful place in which to make music,” Mr Pearce said, acknowledging the special connections the cathedral maintains with the local community, school, and the wider Pembrokeshire area.
News
Council works to reduce empty properties in Carmarthenshire
CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council is reducing the number of empty properties within the county through the introduction of the Empty Properties Framework.
Combining enforcement, the implementation of council tax premiums on empty properties and providing support to help owners bring empty properties back into use, the Empty Properties Framework aims to:
• Reduce the number of long-term empty homes across the county
• Increase the supply of affordable housing to meet demand
• Tackle issues relating to property nuisance, blight and the impact on communities
The following case study is an example of how Carmarthenshire County Council is supporting communities and owners to bring empty properties back into use.
An empty property was reported to the Council with loose rendering falling onto a neighbouring driveway and refuse/waste material in the garden. Investigations revealed that the property had been recorded as empty for seven years and was privately owned by a limited company.
The property was visited by the Council’s Empty Homes Officers and scored as high risk (Category A), requiring enforcement. The owners responded positively to the notice served and assisted with the Council’s formal inspection of the property, during which various category 1 (the most serious) hazards were identified.
As a result, statutory notices were served on the property. These notices provided varying timeframes for work to be carried out. In the event of non-compliance, the Council may choose to undertake works, recovering all costs from the owner.
The owner complied with the work which posed an imminent risk and then sold the property at public auction. The Improvement Notices remained with the property when sold. Upon purchase, the new owners immediately began work to improve the property and this is progressing well.
Cllr Linda Evans, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes said: “The introduction of the Empty Homes Framework aims to be bold in bringing about the improvement and occupation of empty homes, increasing the supply and use of housing to all.
Carmarthenshire County Council is committed to reducing the number of empty properties in the county, with various methods of support in place to assist owners of these properties to bring them back into use including financial assistance, subject to eligibility.”
From 1st April 2024, council tax premiums were also introduced on properties empty for more than 12 months to encourage owners to reflect on whether they could make better use of their property.
For more information on the support available to owners of empty properties visit the Council’s website – Carmarthenshire.gov.wales/housing
News
Free disability sports event heads to Pembroke Leisure Centre
PEMBROKE Leisure Centre will play host to a free disability sports and physical event later this month with lots of sports and activities to try.
The insport series, in partnership with Disability Sport Wales, Sport Pembrokeshire and Pembrokeshire Leisure is an inclusive sport and physical activity event.
It offers opportunities for disabled young people (ages 5 years+) and adults across Pembrokeshire and friends and family are welcome.
On offer to try are: boxing, boccia, swimming (on a separate first come first serve booking basis), football, wheelchair rugby, target shooting, adaptive bikes, cricket, golf, multisport, and more.
The event takes place Pembroke Leisure Centre, on Wednesday May 29th between 10am-2pm.
Booking for the event and swim places is required.
For more information please contact: Jess West from Sport Pembrokeshire byemail [email protected] or by calling 07795305871.
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