News

Jamie Adams : ‘I am confident in the future of Pembrokeshire

Published

12 years ago

September 2, 2014

JAMIE ADAMS is confident and well-briefed – if a little tired after a night looking after his young twins.

Discussing the Welsh Government’s plans to scrap smaller authorities and merge them he offers a robust critique and criticism of Cardiff Bay’s plans. “While the process has been going on for some time, it seems like the Welsh Government has now come to a snap decision. Very often the justification for it is the fact that they consider small authorities are unable to meet their statutory obligation.

The First Minister has pointed out that six authorities have been in special measures. But the credibility of his position is somewhat undermined by the recent good news in Pembrokeshire and also in Anglesey and Rhondda Cynon Taf. “The obvious person to consult with when you are considering change is the person affected by the changes you propose. The Welsh Government has set out its stall and its aspiration. I do not for one minute think that is the finished article. The Welsh Government will have to give evidence to justify its position. “With respect, the Welsh Government has to understand the pressures and complexities of local government. I pay tribute to the staff of local government who deliver critical services to the people of their counties.

Against that, I set the fact that apart from a few direct services, such as the Trunk Road Agency, the Welsh Government delivers no direct services. If you take an overarching view like the WG has done, it is difficult to understand the detail of the processes you are trying to change. “The Welsh Government has a tendency to categorise councils in one of two ways. We are badged as a rural authority but we have pockets of urbanization and real deprivation. Nevertheless we are obliged to deliver services over a wide geographical area.

The details of service delivery are not well understood by Welsh Government.” And in Pembrokeshire? “Pembrokeshire is unique in many ways and we are often accused by the WG of being different. I don’t mind being different. We are very resilient as a county and as a people. We have a sense of community spirit and identity that is second to none. “I would fight in the last ditch for Pembrokeshire.

I believe we have the ability and talent within this authority and within Pembrokeshire to deliver local services for Pembrokeshire. We have had a glowing report from the Wales Audit Office on our progress and performance this year, education is moving forward. “But it is not only about the administrative side of things, this Council. It is something more than that. The brand of Pembrokeshire, for tourism, business, agriculture and produce is extremely strong. In most parts of the UK the Pembrokeshire name is synonymous with those and it is hard to think of another county with such a strong brand identity.” Is Williams a challenge to local democracy? “The proposal from Welsh Government does not include a proposal for district councils and there is a danger of making decision-making too remote from the people we serve.

There would be real issues with that. Look at newspapers, for example, if the decisions are made miles away how are you going to be able to hold the decision-makers to account? “We have sixty councillors who are out, about and contactable within their communities. They can be held to account. There is a considerable advantage to the fact that if you make a decision you believe to be right but is unpopular then you can be voted out. So, if I thought I did the right thing and lost an election, I would not be delighted but I could at least say that I did the right thing as I saw it. “But many professional politicians are in the position that they want to cling to their livelihoods.

We have an increasing number of democratic representatives who have not worked outside of politics and they are remote from those they represent. Increasing numbers of Assembly Members in Cardiff Bay is something we need to be wary. I question the need for additional assembly members. “Having said that, there are in my opinion too many county councillors. It was very strange thing to go so far down the process of re-assessing the number of county councillors and then changing direction. Discussing the complexities of local government funding, Jamie Adams believes that economies can be made by reducing bureaucracy: “My outlook is simple.

I want to deliver the best services we can within the budget we have. “There is a need for the process of funding services to be streamlined by the Welsh Government. There are around 120 grants for education from the Welsh Government. Now those schemes may have been set up with the best of intentions, but it increases the burden of bureaucracy. You have people in councils applying for these grants and another tier of people at the Welsh Government administering them.

So much of the funding that should flow down is instead being filtered down and sticking to the sides. “Local Government is far better placed to understand the needs of their communities and address those needs as we can provide a little bit of initiative or entrepreneurship rather than just follow a prescription from Cardiff Bay. In a way, I am frustrated by what can appear like box-ticking, but I know there have to be checks and balances to ensure we provide value for money. “The relationship with Welsh Government must be developed to build trust to allow them to consider more bespoke ways of delivering services with the funding provided.

The governance arrangements could be simplified. The simplification can begin between the WG and us, and the WAO could oversee and verify the process to ensure our services are continually improving.” Addressing the challenge of potential further administrative upheaval, Jamie Adams responds: “I think Williams has been a long time in the coming from Welsh Labour. It is a reaction to some very disappointing results for Labour in 2008’s elections. We are now in a different place in the local government family.

We don’t have that many disagreements, really and Labour functions in coalition in councils across Wales. “The proof of the pudding is the fact that no other parties in the Welsh Government are signing up to Williams. It is untested that Welsh Labour’s proposals will either improve services or reduce costs. And I am not convinced that it is best to sign up to a process that can show neither of those things. “That said, I am not afraid of change. I am very relaxed that in the future a council such as Pembrokeshire will not provide all of the services we do at the moment. But in terms of being held to account for their delivery, you have to have a touchable, reachable democratic body. As a council, perhaps we do not need all the tools in the box.

Greater fluidity about service delivery might be a way of reducing costs or delivering them more efficiently. “We already work in consortia with other councils to support improvements in our schools. We work on support and challenge with Carmarthenshire for our schools and we are already grouping together with five other counties within ERW, the regional education authority. We are already working together. But strangely, the Welsh Government broke down the transport service back to individual authorities and that seems inconsistent with what it is now saying about wanting to join things together to save money.

“It’s a very difficult thing to resolve as no evidence has been put forward to support what is simply an assertion made by the WG. The Williams Report provides NO cost/benefit analysis for anything and to proceed without it is pure folly. It grabs the headlines to reduce the number of CEO’s. As an easy sell, what could be better? But it is an argument that is not followed through. With Dyfed previously we ended up with a lot of substructures and increased bureaucracy and any savings could be swallowed up by that factor.

“Looking at Williams: we are potentially facing a 9 to 12% rise in Council Tax depending on whether we are merged with Ceredigion or a reconstituted Dyfed. People in Pembrokeshire are worried about the potential rise in Council Tax and do not see why they should pay more for their services. And I agree with them.” Looking at the number of controversies involving it, is Pembrokeshire County Council worth saving? “I appreciate that people are frustrated with what is reported in the papers about the Council. Some of our problems have arisen from the way we have dealt with issues in the past and a lot of them have arisen from the last term of council. “In terms of the evidence, I can say look where we were in 2012 and where we are now.

We have had a great outcome from Estyn and a very positive annual assessment from the WAO. We have renewed confidence in our governance arrangements and in scrutiny to hold the executive to account. “We have the ability to plan for the future. In that future, we will not look as we do now. We will have to change to reflect the cuts in budgets that are likely to continue for some time ahead. But in terms of our ability to deliver good quality services, we are beyond a doubt well placed to do that. “Where we have to work hard is to develop trust amongst ourselves: between councillors and officers and amongst councillors. We have to ensure our focus is on managing the budget, delivering services and not scoring political points for the sake of it. With that in mind, I am confident for the future of Pembrokeshire.”

News

West Wales haulage firm warns poor roads are hurting growth

Published

17 minutes ago

April 9, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Politicians visiting Frenni say rising fuel costs, weak transport links and a lack of investment are placing increasing pressure on businesses across the region

CONSERVATIVE politicians have warned that poor transport links and rising operating costs are putting increasing pressure on the haulage sector in west Wales, following a visit to leading local road haulier Frenni.

During the visit, Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar joined Ceredigion Penfro candidates Paul Davies and Samuel Kurtz to meet staff at the company and discuss the challenges facing the industry.

Among the main concerns raised were weak road infrastructure, rising fuel prices, growing business costs and the impact these pressures are having on firms that rely on efficient journey times to stay competitive.

Frenni told the politicians that poor connectivity is making it harder to move goods efficiently, reach key markets and compete with businesses elsewhere in the UK — a problem that is especially acute for haulage operators, whose profitability depends heavily on reliable journey times.

According to the Road Haulage Association, the sector moves around 89 per cent of all goods in the UK, underlining its importance to the wider economy. However, it also faces mounting pressures from fuel costs, wages, insurance, maintenance and regulatory compliance.

The visit also came amid renewed concern over fuel prices. The politicians said businesses in west Wales were already struggling with increased costs and warned that any further rise in fuel duty would place additional strain on hauliers and rural communities.

Darren Millar said: “It was incredibly valuable to hear directly from Frenni about the challenges they face day to day. Time and again, we hear the same message — our road networks are holding businesses back.

“Whether it is delays, poor road conditions or rising fuel costs, the current environment is making it harder than ever to operate. We support the road haulage sector in its calls for action on fuel duty.”

Paul Davies said haulage firms such as Frenni were vital to the economy and deserved stronger backing.

He said: “Hauliers like Frenni are absolutely essential to our economy. They keep goods moving across the country every single day, but they are being squeezed from all sides — from fuel costs to rising wages and wider business pressures. Without action, we risk placing that vital network under real strain.”

A key issue raised during the meeting was the long-standing call to dual the A40, which the politicians described as a crucial freight route linking west Wales with the rest of the country.

Samuel Kurtz said: “For a haulage firm, time is money. The A40 and M4 are a lifeline for us, and without proper investment, companies here are at a clear disadvantage. We need to see real progress and real investment.”

Road safety concerns were also discussed, particularly on the A477, where calls have previously been made for major improvements.

Mr Kurtz added: “Improving the A477 is not just about convenience, it is about safety. Hauliers are on these roads every day, and we need to ensure these routes are safe, resilient and fit for purpose.”

The politicians also said more needed to be done to improve driver welfare, with concerns raised over a shortage of secure parking, rest areas and basic facilities for HGV drivers in west Wales.

Paul Davies said: “Driver welfare is too often overlooked. If we want to support the haulage sector and tackle driver shortages, we need proper facilities, including safe parking, rest areas and access to basic amenities.”

Wider transport concerns were also discussed, including calls for progress on major infrastructure schemes such as the M4 relief road, which supporters say is needed to ease congestion and improve freight movement across south Wales.

The default 20mph speed limit was another issue raised during the visit, with criticism from the politicians that it is increasing journey times and adding to delivery costs.

Samuel Kurtz said: “Hauliers understand the importance of road safety, but a blanket 20mph approach is not working for logistics. It is slowing journeys, increasing costs and making it harder for businesses to operate efficiently.”

Setting out the party’s position, Paul Davies said the Welsh Conservatives would prioritise investment in roads and transport infrastructure.

He said: “We would get Wales moving again by delivering A40 dualling, upgrading the A477 for safety, progressing the M4 relief road, improving facilities for drivers and scrapping the blanket 20mph policy. At the same time, we must recognise the cost pressures facing the sector and back the businesses that keep our economy moving.”

He added: “Frenni is a great example of a hardworking west Wales haulage business playing a vital role in the wider UK economy. These are the businesses that ensure goods reach our shops, homes and industries. With the right support, they can continue to grow, create jobs and keep Wales moving.”

If you want this turned into a more balanced newspaper piece with Labour/Plaid reaction added, I can do that too.

Community

PCSO clocks in after villagers raise speeding fears

Published

2 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HERBRANDSTON residents flagged fast-moving traffic as a key concern, prompting police to carry out speed checks in the village.

Concern over speeding in Herbrandston has prompted a local police response, with PCSO Adam out in the village carrying out speed checks after residents raised the issue through DPP Connect.

Milford Haven and Neyland Police said the concerns emerged after officers signed local people up to the messaging service, which allows residents to share feedback and receive updates from police.

Many of those who responded said speeding through the village was one of their main worries.

In response, PCSO Adam was deployed to monitor traffic and check vehicle speeds.

The move is likely to be welcomed by residents who have grown tired of motorists treating the village like a racetrack.

Community

Walk the Path for Wellbeing to span three counties in 2026

Published

18 hours ago

April 8, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE COAST NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY is inviting communities, workplaces, families and friends to take part in the 2026 Walk the Path for Wellbeing challenge, with this year’s event expanding across three counties for the first time.

Taking place on Sunday, May 10 and Monday, May 11, the challenge will bring people together to celebrate the spectacular West Wales coastline through walking and other forms of active travel, while highlighting the strong links between nature, movement and wellbeing. A reserve weekend of May 17 and 18 has also been set aside in the event of severe weather.

Building on feedback from last year, the event will now take place over two days rather than one, giving more people the opportunity to get involved and creating a longer window for celebration, storytelling and community spirit.

While last year’s challenge focused on the 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast, this year’s event will also include sections of Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, bringing even more communities into the shared coastal celebration.

The two-day event will feature self-led sections for group entry. With the focus firmly on enjoyment, there is no pressure to complete every stage, and participants are encouraged to do only as much as they feel comfortable with. Together, those individual efforts will contribute to a shared goal of covering the full 313 miles of coastline.

Angela Robinson, Health and Wellbeing Officer at the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: “The coast has an extraordinary ability to lift people, connect communities and create lasting memories. By extending the event across two days and into neighbouring counties, we’re opening the door to even more people to celebrate that connection together and share their experiences on social media.”