News

Hostile exchanges at Audit Committee

Published

11 years ago

November 13, 2014

Council’s Director of Development’s, presentation to Monday’s (Sept 22) Extraordinary Audit Committee has raised considerably more questions about grants scandal in Pembroke Dock than it answered. The thrust of Dr Jones’ lengthy address to the committee was, essentially, that where – in his words – “the irregularity” had occurred it was the fault of everyone but him or his department. Doctor Jones began by blaming the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO) for approving a manual for the Commercial Property Grants Scheme that had “weaknesses”. His European Manager, Gwyn Evans, had written the manual, but any problems with it were clearly WEFO’s fault. And if WEFO weren’t at fault then there were all sorts of other compelling reasons (or possibly excuses) that Dr Jones could offer up. In public session, Dr Jones alleged that issues that had arisen with the Pembroke and Pembroke Dock grants schemes were all to do with the activities of one developer exploiting “loopholes” in the system. Further and in addition, Dr Jones averred that some problems had arisen because of increased workload and staffing shortages. On the one hand Dr Jones pointed out that the number of staff and projects for which he and his department had risen and on the other he pointed out that staff shortages had caused problems to arise. The failure, to replace a key manager and plan adequately for one member of staff’s maternity leave, were offered up as reasons why problems had arisen in project management.

DEPARTMENT ‘UNDERSTAFFED’ At one point, Dr Jones sought to demonstrate that whereas there were once 18 members of staff under the Head of Regeneration (a manager’s post), he now had 94 members of staff as Director of Development (a director’s post). Any sympathy most members of the Committee might have felt for the £130k+ a year Dr Jones was somewhat moderated by the fact that the overwhelming majority of those “new” posts are actually contractors engaged with the Council’s partners – such as the Futureworks initiative organised in concert with the DWP. In a thinly veiled attempt to put pressure on councillors, he three times said that it was up to councillors to decide whether they wanted the benefit of grant-aided investment in Pembrokeshire and were willing to make funds available to ensure that grants could be administered properly. Of course, Dr Jones never admitted any problems existed before – whether in staffing levels, workload or administrative burden. On the contrary, before the same Committee in January Dr Jones asserted confidently that any issues uncovered would be trivial in nature. Back in January, Dr Jones had claimed that any problems with the grants would amount to the equivalent of a few bread rolls a day lost from the canteen. As it happens, using only the figures before the Audit Committee that would mean that – at 15p per bread roll – something like 900,000 bread rolls over a calendar year, or nearly 2,500 a day h a d gone walk about on Dr Jones’ watch. But he did not apologise. He expressed “disappointment”. As a display of patronising chutzpah before the Audit Committee, it was only equalled by the continued protestations of European Manager Gwyn Evans that whatever had gone wrong it was nothing to do with him. In all of these protestations, Dr Jones and Mr Evans were dealt with in soothing and understanding tones by the newly-elected Chair of the Audit Committee, Peter Jones. Formerly of Morgan Cole Solicitors and presently legal counsel to Swansea University and Chair of Swansea Bay Futures, Mr Jones’ role appeared to be less to encourage rigorous scrutiny and investigation than to accept everything the Committee were told by officers at face value. In the absence of the Head of Legal Services, Huw Miller, and the Council’s own Monitoring Officer, Laurence Harding – it appeared that Mr Jones’ appointment was – at times – particularly fortuitous, due to his extensive legal experience heading a major law firm.

JONES THE LEGAL EAGLE Prepared to deploy his undoubtedly deep legal knowledge when it was most advantageous to the culture which allows £125,000 to be treated like loose change lost behind a sofa cushion, Mr Jones managed to appear to contradict two senior officers (Kerry MacDermott and Jon Haswell). Both of whom agreed with Cllr Jacob Williams that key documents and correspondence relating to negotiations between the Council and Mr Cathal McCosker (Dr Steven Jones’ ‘lone gunman’) could be examined by councillors on the Audit Committee as of right. That is not to say that everything was plain sailing. The Chair was visibly narked and exasperated by the efforts of Cllr Jacob Williams to extract even the merest scintilla of an apology from Dr Jones or Mr Evans. On the basis that evidence is literally ‘that which can be seen’, Mr Jones appeared impatient when Cllr Williams continued to point out that the problem was not necessarily the old procedural manual but the failure to adhere to it. Cllr Williams continued to press on in the teeth of the Chair’s rising impatience with his wish to actually hold someone to account for the repeated and manifest failings of the Council’s Development Directorate and Regeneration Unit. Cllr Williams pointed out that the Council’s own manual provided that bank statements should have been produced to show expenditure had been incurred. Offering a legal opinion based on his professional practice, Mr Jones disagreed. What Mr Jones’ keen legal mind did not pick up on, however, was that the procedural manual was a document produced by Pembrokeshire County Council for its own use. It was only approved by WEFO. The manual’s author was before the committee. Going increasing red at the back of his neck, Gwyn Evans failed to explain why he had included something in the original manual that he and his department had no intention of enforcing. He ventured to say that it would not be practical. And the Chair nodded sagely; but Mr Evans could not or did not explain that if his own procedural manual was impractical why he did not realise that and change it to reflect practicalities before any issues arose.

SAY SORRY TO STODDART Cllr Jacob Williams landed a telling blow by following up a point made earlier by Cllr Guy Woodham. Cllr Williams asked why all of the issues that Dr Jones now prayed in aid of his department had not been acknowledged before. Why, in particular, did Dr Jones persist in saying that nobody could have known what was wrong when clear evidence had been presented by Cllr Mike Stoddart at the time that something was amiss? Cllrs Woodham and Williams suggested that officers should apologise to Cllr Stoddart for the way they had previously dealt with his concerns. Councillor Williams went so far as to say that a systematic attempt had been made “to rubbish” the Hakin representative. Dr Jones pointedly declined to apologise and the Council’s European Manager, Gwyn Evans, remarkably said he stood by the content of a public FAQ document which had been shown to be factually incorrect. It was hard to determine whether either officer was intentionally or unintentionally patronising. If the word ‘sorry’ was in their minds, it was rapidly strangled before it could be uttered. Peter Jones, of course, would have been a stranger to the intricacies of the discussion before him. It did not matter how well briefed and prepared he was, the ins and outs of the grants scandal and the efforts of the Council to cover it up were not on his radar.

STODDART GETS A SAY In the teeth of Chair’s bemusement, Cllrs Woodham and Williams proposed that Cllr Stoddart address the meeting. Cllr John Allen Mirehouse gracelessly consented. Two officers, Kerry MacDermott and Jon Haswell, pointed out that as Cllr Stoddart had been invited to address the panel previously on this matter he should be asked to share his thoughts. Cllr Stoddart offered some constructive views on the way forward and agreed that the proposals in the new procedural manual and checklist proposed went some way to tackling concerns. Indeed, Cllr Stoddart seemed to have gained an ally in Jon Haswell, who agreed with him that a very basic amendment could resolve an issue which had plagued the whole grants scheme. Gwyn Evans disagreed. Peter Jones leapt in to Mr Evans’ defence. Mr Haswell was not deflected and persisted with his view. With the Chairman looking at his watch, the meeting ended shambolically and unsatisfactorily with a spat between Cllrs Mirehouse and Stoddart. Peter Jones, seemingly taking the position that the Audit Committee had no choice but to approve the documents before them, drew the meeting to a quick close at the behest of Cllrs Mirehouse and Tom Richards.

News

Welsh Conservatives reject calls for more Senedd powers amid Labour devolution row

Published

31 seconds ago

December 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WELSH CONSERVATIVE leader Darren Millar MS has dismissed renewed Labour calls for further Senedd powers, warning that the Welsh Government should “stop making excuses” and focus instead on tackling crises in health, education and the economy.

His comments follow an extraordinary intervention earlier this week by 11 Labour backbench MSs, who wrote to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on 3 December accusing his government of “rolling back” devolution. The signatories — including former ministers Mick Antoniw, Lesley Griffiths and Lee Waters — said they were “increasingly concerned” by the lack of progress on key commitments such as reforming the Barnett formula, devolving rail infrastructure, policing and justice, and transferring the Crown Estate to Wales.

The letter singled out the UK Government’s new “Pride in Place” funding scheme — which sends regeneration money for town-centre improvements directly to Welsh councils — as a “constitutional outrage,” arguing that it sidesteps devolved powers through the UK Internal Market Act 2020. Although First Minister Eluned Morgan has raised the issue with Starmer, no Welsh ministers added their names to the letter, laying bare internal tensions as Labour falls back in polls ahead of the 2026 Senedd election.

Opposition parties seized on the dispute. Plaid Cymru’s Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said it showed Labour “falling apart,” while Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds criticised Westminster’s “deep lack of understanding” of the devolution settlement.

At a Council of the Nations and Regions summit on Thursday, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones — standing in for Starmer — defended the UK Government’s record, saying Labour in Westminster had been “delivering at pace” in partnership with Wales. The 26 November Budget provided £508 million in additional resource and capital funding for Wales over the Spending Review period, alongside commitments to Port Talbot brownfield remediation, a South Wales semiconductor cluster, nuclear investment at Wylfa and a £547 million Local Growth Fund devolved to the Welsh Government. Welsh ministers welcomed many of these as having “generational” value, though the Labour MSs’ letter said they fell short of promised constitutional reform.

The Welsh Conservatives have consistently opposed further Senedd powers, arguing that Cardiff Bay already holds significant authority under the existing settlement established in 1997 and expanded in 2011, 2014 and 2017. Millar, who became Welsh Conservative leader in 2024, has previously ruled out abolishing the Senedd as unrealistic, while urging ministers to “transform people’s lives with devolution” by using existing powers more effectively.

Pointing to record pressures in devolved services, Millar said Labour was fixated on constitutional arguments while outcomes worsen. NHS waiting lists in Wales stood at 789,929 pathways by mid-2025 — nearly one in four residents — with first outpatient waits in parts of Rhondda Cynon Taf stretching from 28 to 68 weeks or more. Public satisfaction with the Welsh NHS averaged 5.1 out of 10 in the year to March 2025, down from 6.3 in 2021–22. Education attendance figures for 2023–24 showed slow post-pandemic recovery, while youth employment (16–24) fell to 52.5% in the year to March 2025. Wales’ unemployment rate rose to 4.1% in the year to June 2025, slightly above the UK’s 4.0%, with areas such as Swansea reaching 8.2%. Economic inactivity among 16–64-year-olds remained high at 24.1%.

Darren Millar MS said: “One Labour Government damaging Wales was bad enough — now we have two, and things are twice as bad.

After two damaging budgets, Welsh Government ministers are focused on infighting about Senedd powers instead of fixing the everyday problems families are facing.

The Senedd doesn’t need more powers. What we need is a government that accepts responsibility, stops making excuses, and uses the extensive powers already available to get to grips with the crisis in our NHS, improve standards in our schools, and tackle Wales’ spiralling unemployment.

Only a Welsh Conservative Government will fix Wales.”

The dispute reflects wider public debate on whether devolution is delivering results. Polling suggests consistent support for having a Senedd, but growing frustration over service performance. With the 2026 election approaching and Reform UK and Plaid Cymru gaining ground, Labour’s internal split over devolution exposes fresh vulnerabilities as the party tries to navigate its relationship with Westminster.

Entertainment

Capturing the stories of the stars at the Torch Theatre

Published

5 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RENOWNED storytellers Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton are bringing a new intimate theatre experience to Wales next spring, exploring classic myths inspired by the night sky. Stars and their Consolations, produced by Adverse Camber Productions, will tour Wales in Spring 2026 and arrives at the Torch Theatre in March.

The production reimagines well-known Greek star myths through a blend of live storytelling, projected animations of the night sky and a mesmerising electro-acoustic soundscape created by award-winning Welsh composer Sarah Lianne Lewis.

The show has evolved from an earlier collaboration between Adverse Camber, Morden, Lupton and Lewis. Its first incarnation premiered in west Wales at the Beyond the Border Storytelling Festival 2021, and the company further developed the piece in 2022. This enhanced touring version promises a majestic, hypnotic experience that brings ancient tales to life with fresh theatrical energy.

Described as a beautiful way to reconnect with stories that have been shared around fires for thousands of years, the production explores familiar constellations such as Orion, Pegasus, the Pleiades, Sirius and the Milky Way.

Storyteller and co-creator Daniel Morden said: “Stars and their Consolations is a way of restoring the night sky. When we listen to these myths, we are connecting with our ancestors. It is as if a hand has reached out from the past and taken our own, and we feel less alone.”

The two-hour show, suitable for ages 12 and over, invites audiences into an enthralling world where gods toy mercilessly with mortals, and stories of pride, lust and passion unfold against the vast canvas of the cosmos. The epic sweep of the sky, the creators say, offers a grounding and consoling perspective on human troubles.

Producer Naomi Wilds added: “Stories shared together bring people together. We all live under the same sky, though it looks different depending on where you stand. Star-related stories help us remember constellation patterns, mark the seasons and even warn us about issues such as light pollution. They remind us why the night sky is valuable, and why we must protect it for future generations.”

Six-month bilingual storytelling project across Wales

Ahead of the spring tour, Adverse Camber—supported by Prosiect Nos Partnership, Theatrau Sir Gâr, Arts Council Wales, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Colwinston Foundation, The Darkley Trust, Welsh Government, Literature Wales and People Speak Up—is launching a six-month initiative: Cysur y Sêr (The Comfort of the Stars).

This Welsh-led, bilingual project will develop new Welsh-language stories, explore the environmental impacts of light pollution and climate change, and leave a long-lasting storytelling legacy. Ten bilingual storytellers will work with communities near venues across Wales in the lead-up to Dark Skies Week in February 2026, before linking into the touring production in March and April.

Although Stars and their Consolations focuses on Greek mythology, the creative team emphasises that Wales itself has some of the best protected night skies in the world—and a largely forgotten tradition of celestial storytelling.

Morden noted: “The Welsh landscape used to be populated with stories. We’ve forgotten many of them—on the ground and in the heavens. If STARS helps make the night sky magical and precious again, perhaps we will do more to protect it.”

Dani Robertson, Dark Sky Officer for the Prosiect Nos Partnership, added:
“Interest in Dark Sky watching across Wales is growing. We suspect many of the star stories once told in rural and coastal communities have been lost, but Cysur y Sêr may uncover memories people still hold. Sharing them helps pass this knowledge on to the future.”

How to watch

Stars and their Consolations will appear at the Torch Theatre on Tuesday, 24 March.
For more information and tickets, visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk
or contact the Box Office on (01646) 695267.

Community

St Davids lights up for annual Christmas tree and wreath contest

Published

11 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Menevia WI, Girl Guides and local groups among the winners at a packed Cross Square event

CHARITIES, schools and community groups lit up St Davids on 29 November 2025, showcasing creativity, craftsmanship and festive spirit as hundreds gathered in Cross Square for the annual Christmas Tree and Wreath Competition.

The winners were chosen by public vote. Taking first place in the adults’ category was Menevia WI, whose extraordinary tree, nativity scene and decorations were ingeniously created from a clothes airer and wooden pegs.

Second place went to the City Council Coffee and Chat Group with a thoughtful Christmas-and-Remembrance design, featuring hand-knitted red, white and blue decorations. St Davids RNLI secured third with a lifeboat-themed tree celebrating their lifesaving work.

In the children’s category, St Davids Girl Guides took the top spot with a charming design featuring “Girl-Guide-ified” Santas, tents and the iconic Guide logo. Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi (YPD) came second with a colourful puzzle-themed tree carrying the message: “In this school you are a special piece of the puzzle.” Close behind in third place was Brawdy Hayscastle YFC with an inventive cow-themed Christmas tree.

The wreath category also highlighted the community’s talent. The Drifters claimed first place with a striking star-shaped wreath, while Lego Church secured second with a brilliantly crafted Lego design. Third place went to Rebecca Thornton for her beautifully knitted wreath featuring Santa and his reindeer.

As the Christmas lights were switched on and Cross Square filled with families, the event once again showcased the creativity and community spirit that make Wales’s smallest city shine at Christmas.