Politics

Gething forgets to mention £25,000 donation

Published

7 months ago

May 1, 2024

Jon Coles

THE LOOK on Vaughan Gething’s face could’ve curdled milk.

It had all started with an innocent enough question from former ministerial colleague Julie Morgan.

Ms Morgan asked about access to transport for visually impaired people.

Mr Gething responded with a combination of soft soap and reassurance.

Ms Morgan followed up by relating what happened to one of her visually impaired constituents, Ryan Moreland.

Mr Moreland needed to attend hospital. He ordered a taxi. The taxi driver saw Mr Moreland waiting with his guide dog and drove off. Later, another taxi driver charged him (unlawfully) an extra £5 for letting his guide dog into the taxi.

Mr Gething moved from smooth reassurance to practised outrage with barely a flicker. The facts were so immediately to hand that it was almost as though he knew what Julie Morgan would ask him.

The taxi company, Veezu, had dismissed the driver who had failed to collect Mr Moreland and reported them to Cardiff City Council’s licensing department.

Vaughan Gething praised Veezu for its prompt action.

Disability discrimination was unacceptable, and the First Minister stressed his government’s determination to provide disability training to taxi drivers to avoid repetition.

Even a pointier question from the Conservative Shadow Transport Minister, Natasha Ashgar, about facilities at TFW-operated railway stations didn’t deflect Mr Gething.

His government is committed to doing the right thing.

Andrew RT Davies rose to ask a without-notice question.

Mr Davies began neutrally: “The question that started this session of question time from Julie Morgan indicated that a taxi firm obviously had broken the discrimination rules against disabled people.”

The Conservative leader pressed home his point more combatively.

“I believe the owner of that taxi firm contributed to your leadership campaign, First Minister.”

Veezu did contribute. It contributed £25,000.

Mr Davies continued: “In referencing them, I am sure you inadvertently would have declared an interest. Still, I’m sure you’ll want to put that on the record so people can understand that you did receive a donation from them.”

At that point, Mr Gething’s face turned to stone.

Since the last Questions, he’d spent the time claiming the £200,000 donation to his leadership campaign by an environmental crook was not a matter that needed independent scrutiny.

And he’d been pantsed by Andrew RT Davies in front of the whole Chamber for a basic oversight.

The pretence he should be judge and jury over ministerial proprietary flew out of the window.

Mr Davies pressed further, but the damage had been done with his initial point.

Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth underlined Mr Davies’s point.

Before asking the First Minister about the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Mr ap Iorwerth observed: “Perhaps the First Minister should reflect on whether a declaration of interest is needed when he mentioned not once but twice, in positive terms, a taxi firm, Veezu, that he was given £25,000 by as a donation to his campaign.”

Mr Gething responded by confusing the declarations of contributions made to the Electoral Commissions about who bankrolled his leadership campaign and his absolute obligation to declare a personal and potentially prejudicial interest regarding Veezu to the Welsh Parliament.

They are entirely separate issues.

If the First Minister doesn’t understand the difference, an independent inquiry will clarify it for him. It’d certainly do a better job than a very limited internal review/whitewash headed by Carwyn Jones.

Education

Pembrokeshire free school transport call to be heard at County Hall

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow school pupils from Johnston and Tiers Cross access to free school transport to the nearby Haverfordwest high school is to be heard by councillors next week.

Due to a change in catchment areas the pupils are no longer able to access free transport to Haverfordwest, instead coming under the Milford Haven catchment area.

A petition calling for the reinstatement of the former catchment area to access free transport for pupils to Haverfordwest was recently started in the county.

The e-petition, which ran from September 18-November 1 on the council’s own website, attracted 351 signatures, meeting the threshold for a debate at the relevant Pembrokeshire County Council overview and scrutiny committee, in this case the Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28.

The petition, started by Kirsty Coaker, reads: “We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to change Johnston and Tiers Cross School Catchment back to Haverfordwest.

“Children of Johnston and Tiers Cross are now ineligible for free school transport to Haverfordwest High due to the areas no longer being in ‘catchment’.

“Both Johnston and Tiers Cross are Haverfordwest postal codes and are classed as Haverfordwest, yet the school catchment is Milford Haven.

“Please help our children access suitable transport to and from secondary school.”

The e-petition will now be considered at the November 28 meeting.

Climate

Pembrokeshire group plans for larger community wind turbine

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A NORTH Pembrokeshire group which has raised more than £76,000 from its community wind turbine for local projects is hoping to expand with a bigger turbine.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Abergwaun Community Turbine Ltd, through agent Machynlleth-based Dulas Ltd is hoping to get permission for a larger turbine to replace the existing Abergwaun Community Turbine.

The proposed turbine, in a pasture field at Trebover Farm, to the south of Fishguard, would be 67m tall, the existing 2015 one being 45 metres.

In supporting statements, parent company Transition Bro Gwaun said: “The Community Climate Fund (CCF) is the mechanism by which Transition Bro Gwaun (TBG) is fulfilling our ambition of funding projects in Fishguard, Goodwick and across North Pembrokeshire, using income from the community wind turbine.

“The core themes for grants are climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhancement of biodiversity and improvements to community resilience through promotion of community engagement and resource sharing.”

In 2015, TBG raised its 50 per cent share of capital funding for the project by means of loans from 28 local individuals and four community groups, contributing a total of £286,500, the other 50 per cent contributed by landowners Parc-y-Morfa Farms Ltd.

The statement added: “Profit generated by sale of electricity from the turbine is split 50:50 between TBG and Parcy-Morfa Farms Ltd through the jointly owned trading arm, Abergwaun Community Turbine. By the end of 2022, all loans had been repaid, allowing the launch of TBG’s Community Climate Fund. This year we have awarded our third round of grants bringing the total amount granted to £76,036.”

In 2022, £15,274 was awarded to seven projects, including Fishguard Sports AFC to install solar panels on their clubhouse as part of their Tregroes Park development, Ysgol Bro Gwaun for their Increasing Biodiversity and Bees project, and Nevern Valley Veg / Llysiau Cwm Nyfer to install a solar powered vegetable irrigation scheme.

In 2023, £39,85 was made available for seven projects, including Sea Trust Wales to part fund the installation of solar panels on the Ocean Lab roof and to produce a display on solar technology, Letterston Memorial Hall to part fund the installation of an air source heat pump heating system, and Fishguard and Goodwick Rugby Club to install solar panels on their clubhouse.

2024 awards of £20,917 were made to six projects, including Theatr Gwaun to insulate their loft to reduce heating loss, Parc Cerrig Growers for developing a rainwater harvesting system with a pond to irrigate their allotments, Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture for an electric cargo bike for delivering organic vegetables in the Fishguard and St Davids areas, and Nevern Valley Veg to develop wildlife ponds and rainwater harvesting for food production.

The supporting documentation concludes: “The repowering of the existing turbine at Trebover would require a limited increase in turbine size which would result in a very limited change in landscape and visual effects in comparison to the existing Trebover turbine.”

The application will be considered by planners at a later date.

Business

Call to end ‘fad’ of ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire

Published

3 days ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to end the ‘fad’ of permanent ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire for their benefit and the befit of the schools, instead using visiting ‘therapy dogs’ is to be heard next week.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28 will consider a public submission by Robert Thomas – who works with therapy dogs – on the subject of school dogs.

The submission reads: “My definition of a school dog is one that spends long periods in the school and is managed and owned by school employees not outside assessed and insured visiting therapy dogs who stay for an hour with a competent handler.

“The welfare of many dogs in schools in Pembrokeshire has been compromised over the last few years and we are concerned that the rise in the popularity of school-owned or teacher-owned dogs is an animal welfare issue.

“I can think of several school dogs in Pembrokeshire where it has gone wrong for the animal.”

He cites examples of ‘school dogs’ the county, where he says they have had to be removed, with the animals being unsettled, barking and even nipping on occasions, showing “a lack of understanding of animal welfare”.

His submission adds: “We have done some work with the Animal Welfare team at the Welsh Government around licensing this field, a consultation was completed in March 2023, currently awaiting the outcome.

“It has become a fad across the country and many dogs spend all day in schools supported by staff members who have another job to do. It feels like PCC does not have a policy overarching animal welfare policy in schools to protect dogs from being seen as staff members and there purely for human benefit, not the dogs.

“Dogs need to rest and sleep during the day and not in school. The visiting therapy dog model works best as the impact is greatest and the welfare of the dog is managed externally. If the dog is there all the time that can diminish the impact, and the novelty can wear off for the pupils.

“In my experience schools should concentrate on teaching and leave the therapy dog introduction to those that have the expertise in animal welfare.”

The submission will be considered by committee members at the November 28 meeting.