News

Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire receive council funding settlements

Published

2 years ago

December 21, 2023

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

CEREDIGION and Pembrokeshire are to receive lower than average percentage Welsh Government funding settlements for the next financial year, the lowest such in mid and west Wales.

The Welsh Government has said core revenue funding for local government will increase by 3.1 per cent on a like-for-like basis, compared to the current year, with no local authority receiving less than a two per cent increase.

While the average settlement across the 22 local authorities will see a 3.1 per cent increase, Pembrokeshire will receive 2.5 per cent and Ceredigion 2.6 per cent, ranking them 16th and 14th respectively.

In terms of money, Pembrokeshire will receive an extra £5.372m on top of the £212.626m received for the current financial year.

Ceredigion receives an extra £3.373m, on top of this year’s £129.341m.

Neighbouring local authorities have had a higher percentage increase: Carmarthenshire receives 3.3 per cent, with Powys receiving 2.8 per cent.

The highest rate is Newport, at 4.7 per cent, and the joint two lowest authorities are Gwynedd and Conwy at 2 per cent each.

Awards are made using a formula intended to take account of need and the ability of councils to raise extra funding from the council tax.

Welsh Government finance minister Rebecca Evans said it is providing £5.7bn to councils through the revenue support grant – the main funding source for local government.

This includes funding to limit increases in business rates to no more than five per cent, though rate relief is also being reduced, meaning some business will still see large rises in the amount they must pay.

Ms Evans said the Welsh Government’s overall budget isn’t “sufficient to meet all pressures” but said: “This has meant taking difficult decisions elsewhere in the budget to honour our commitment to councils last year of a 3.1 per cent rise in their funding for next year.

“I appreciate the pressures local government is facing and recognise that demand for services, along with the recent very high rates of inflation, mean local government will still need to make difficult decisions on services, efficiencies, and council tax in setting their budgets.

“We will continue to work closely together to face these shared challenges and strive to make the best use of the resources we have in order to make the most difference to the communities we serve.”

Pembrokeshire County Council and Ceredigion County Council have been contacted for a response to the announcement.

A six-week consultation on the provisional settlement has opened today, which will end on January 31.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

8 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

8 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

9 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.