News
Pembrokeshire planners ‘amongst top performing in Wales’
PEMBROKESHIRE’S planning service performance has increased significantly, becoming one of the best performing authorities in Wales last year, a council scrutiny committee heard.
At the January 16 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s services overview and scrutiny committee, members were asked to scrutinise progress of the planning service since the previous meeting of January 2023.
In a report presented by Cabinet Member for Planning & Housing Delivery Cllr Jon Harvey, members heard significant improvements had been made despite a pressure on senior officers due to interim arrangements as a result of reduced resource at senior officer level.
Cllr Harvey told members there is currently 241 live (valid) planning applications, down from 333 in December, the proportion of applications being determined within eight weeks rising from 42 per cent in December 2022 to 82 per cent in December 2023, the second-best of Wales 22 local authorities.
Cllr Harvey cited a report for members which said: “The most recent Welsh Government statistics (July-September 2023) show that the ‘all-Wales’ average for determining planning applications within agreed timescales was 86 per cent. For this same period, Pembrokeshire County Council was the best performing Local Planning Authority in Wales determining 98 per cent of applications within agreed timescales.”
It added: “Since January 2023 Pembrokeshire County Council has been within the top five performing local planning authorities in Wales for determining applications on time (i.e. within agreed timescales) and within the top two best performing local planning authorities within Wales for determining applications within eight weeks.
“Throughout 2023 Pembrokeshire County Council has consistently performed above the ‘all-Wales’ averages in both respects.”
Cllr Harvey told members that planning applications had increased the number of affordable homes in the county, with (in 2021-22) 21 secured by Section 106 agreements or by planning conditions and 100 affordable houses delivered, along with a further 68 secured and 85 delivered in 2022-’23.
Members also heard 13 appeals had been made council planning decisions; 11 of them upheld by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW).
Another issue raised was the subject of retrospective applications, members hearing an estimated 10-15 per cent of applications fell under the definition, with more breaches being identified by officers.
On the issue of planning enforcement, Cllr Harvey told members there was “a big push” to reduce numbers, currently at 255 live cases, down from 367 in December 2022 and 418 in September 2022.
Councillor Rhys Jordan asked if more could be done to publicise any enforcement actions, saying: “The perception in public is we don’t enforce and people get away with it, I know that’s not the case and you know that’s not the case; the more people that know about it the less problems we have.”
Cllr Harvey agreed a joint ‘stick and carrot’ model may help, with publicity making people “think twice,” or being more aware of planning conditions.
Community
Carmarthen Youth Opera receives King’s Award for Voluntary Services
CARMARTHEN and District Youth Opera has been honoured with the King’s Award for Voluntary Services in recognition of its outstanding contributions to providing musical theatre opportunities for young people in the West Wales area.
Recognising outstanding examples of voluntary work, the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the Award has been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups from across the UK for many years. Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest Award given to local voluntary groups in the UK, and they are awarded for life.
Established in 1979, Carmarthen and District Youth Opera has been a cornerstone of the performing arts community in Wales for over four decades. What began as a small group of dedicated individuals at Carmarthen’s Further Education Centre youth club has flourished into one of Wales’s most successful cultural societies, thanks to the dedication of volunteers.
Under the leadership of the late Elizabeth Evans MBE and her husband David, Carmarthen and District Youth Opera has grown from strength to strength, showcasing high-quality musical entertainment and earning accolades such as the Lord Snowdon Award for its first annual music production of “Snow White” in 1979. Over the years, Carmarthen and District Youth Opera has continued to captivate audiences with productions ranging from “Oliver” to “Jesus Christ Superstar,” garnering national praise.
Further major Lyric refurbishment works in the early 1990’s and later, gave a home to the Youth Opera with a venue and facilities in which it could deliver productions of the highest quality to an audience of approximately 500 people. For a period of 15 years, it functioned as an entertainment centre run voluntarily by the Lyric Trust, drawn from the Youth Opera’s supporters. The theatre is since owned and run by Carmarthenshire County Council as a venue for current and future generations.
Carmarthen and District Youth Opera’s impact extends beyond the stage, with many former cast members pursuing successful careers in music and dramatic arts. The organisation’s commitment to excellence and inclusivity has earned it widespread recognition, including from Her Majesty the Queen, the Emir of Qatar, and their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.
As Carmarthen and District Youth Opera celebrates this prestigious award, it remains firm in its commitment to nurturing young talent and enriching the cultural landscape of Wales.
Councillor Hazel Evans, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture & Tourism said: “Carmarthen and District Youth Opera embodies the spirit of community and dedication to the arts that enriches our region. Receiving the King’s Award for Voluntary Services is a testament to the unwavering commitment of its volunteers and the profound impact the organisation has on nurturing young talent. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and look forward to their continued contributions to the cultural vibrancy of West Wales.”
Business
Port welcomes first vessel to new workboat pontoons
PEMBROKE PORT, which is owned and operated by the Port of Milford Haven, has welcomed the first customer to its new workboat pontoons. Installed as part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project to modernise the Port’s infrastructure, the pontoons are available for use by a range of vessels including workboats, barges and other small vessels.
CRC Sentinel, a dive support vessel owned by Commercial Rib Charter which is undertaking work on the Milford Haven Waterway, was the first to use the new pontoons.
Sharon Adams, Commercial Manager for Pembroke Port commented: “It’s great to see these new assets being utilised. Pembroke Port is perfectly positioned within the Port of Milford Haven to act as a hub for operations associated with marine activity taking place within the Port and the Celtic Sea. The pontoons are available for short and long term berthing and have secure access, as well as electricity and water hook ups.
The workboat pontoons compliment the other infrastructure upgrades we made as part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project including new laydown space and an expanded slipway.
We look forward to working with our existing customers, and welcoming new ones, to use the new facilities at Pembroke Port.”
The new infrastructure at Pembroke Port forms part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project to create a world-class energy and engineering centre of excellence and act as a focal point for capturing the economic value from wind, wave, and tidal renewable energy projects.
Alongside the Port’s own investment, Pembroke Dock Marine – a Swansea Bay City Deal project – is part funded by the UK Government and the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government as well as other private sector partners.
During construction, the project supported over 50 jobs including 6 apprenticeships. Contractors BAM, Walters Group and R&M Williams undertook community activity during the project, with the local community benefiting from over £11m local spend.
For further details on the facilities at Pembroke Port, and how the Pembroke Dock Marine investments have readied Pembroke Port for future energy, please visit www.pembrokeport.com.
Education
Young people dive into My River project to learn about Cleddau
DURING the Easter Holidays, young people from The Edge Youth Centre and the Army Welfare Service took part in a two-day environmental project in Haverfordwest in partnership with the Cleddau Project.
The ‘My River’ project enabled young people to connect with the River Cleddau, learn about the importance of looking after rivers and discuss what their river means to them as young people.
At the start of the project, the young people linked up with the West Wales Rivers Trust for the Big River Clean Up in Haverfordwest.
The young people helped clean up a stretch of the Western Cleddau River that runs alongside Bridge Meadow Park and Morrisons.
In the afternoon, they enjoyed an engaging session delivered by the Darwin Centre looking at the mini-beasts that live in our rivers under microscopes.
On day two the young people reflected on their findings creating a story with illustrator Fran Evans.
The young people created a piece of art telling the story of their river and the importance of looking after the river.
The story is called the ‘adventures of the trash trio’ and will be exhibited to the public at the ‘My River’ Art Exhibition at HaverHub, Quay Street, Haverfordwest at the end of June.
The young people will be coming back together in May Half-Term to explore the river in Haverfordwest by canoeing up the Western River Cleddau.
Steve Lewis, Senior Youth Worker said: “This project educated young people on the importance of our rivers and how they support wildlife, ecosystems and recreation activities. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm from the young people and to see them connecting with their river.”
This project has been made possible by funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
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