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Monkton protesters meet with Pembrokeshire County Council

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Shaking hands: Ian Westley and Charlie Price

PROTESTERS from Monkton joined together in Haverfordwest outside County Hall at 11am today (Jul 14) in hopes of meeting with Pembrokshire County Council.

Upon arrival, they were met by  the Council Leader, Cllr David Simpson, and Chief Executive, Ian Westley, who had a prepared statement.

Mr Westley said: “I wish to stress that we as the Local Authority understand and sympathise with your concerns.

“I am a parent myself and appreciate the fears and frustration which you all feel. We also recognise that this is an issue which is not confined to Pembrokeshire, but has been the focus of a national debate for some years now.

“I need to make it clear that the female with whom your protest is directed was not placed in Monkton by Pembrokeshire County Council or any other organisation, and is not or never has been a council tenant.

“The individual concerned, along with the council tenant, is no longer in the county.

“The tenancy of the council house has been surrendered. We are aware you have prepared a series of questions and are committed to working with you in this regard.

Ian Westley and David Simpson: Reading a prepared statement

Following this statement, several members of the group went inside County Hall and had a meeting where they had a chance to put questions to the council.

Roughly an hour later, the group returned outside and told the crowd that it had been agreed that the council would help them with legal advice and finding a solicitor who could take their cause further – with the intention of getting the law changed for sex offenders to stay on the sex offenders register for life.

Some protesters were unhappy with this outcome, however Ian Westley came out to re-assure the protesters that the council was committed to working with the Monkton community, and stressed that patience and trust was needed.

 

Community

PCSO clocks in after villagers raise speeding fears

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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.

 

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Community

Walk the Path for Wellbeing to span three counties in 2026

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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.”

 

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Health

Nursing graduate jobs crisis warning as NHS pressures deepen

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THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING WALES has warned of a growing jobs crisis for newly qualified nurses, saying a shortage of Band 5 posts could leave up to half of this year’s nursing graduates without work when recruitment opens.

The union said the situation was particularly alarming given the severe pressures already facing NHS Wales, with staff continuing to report overcrowded wards, unsafe conditions and unmanageable workloads across multiple health boards.

RCN Wales said the lack of available jobs for newly trained nurses pointed to a serious failure in workforce planning. It warned that losing new entrants to the profession would place even more strain on already overstretched services and could further affect patient care.

The organisation said the situation also undermined the Welsh Government’s and NHS Wales’ duty to improve the quality and safety of care.

RCN Wales is calling on the Welsh Government to provide urgent clarity on the scale of the shortfall, set out credible long-term workforce planning, and introduce immediate system-wide measures to recruit, retain and deploy the nursing workforce Wales needs.

The union said it had received assurances that students would not be penalised if posts were unavailable. That includes being released from any obligation to work in Wales and not being required to repay tuition fee support where workforce shortages prevent them from securing employment.

Professor Sandy Harding, Associate Director of Nursing at RCN Wales, said: “The situation facing newly registered nurses is deeply concerning and exposes serious failures in workforce planning.

“It is becoming increasingly clear that this situation is being driven by financial constraints, including the freezing of vacant posts within local health boards. Our NHS is under intense pressure, yet hundreds of newly qualified nurses may have no posts to enter. This is simply unacceptable.

“These students stepped forward for Wales, trained through immense challenges, and now face uncertainty at the very moment the system needs them most. They deserve far better.

“Every newly qualified nurse will be vital to meeting Wales’s care needs. The RCN will continue to demand transparency, accountability and long-term planning from the system. We will not stop speaking up for students, for our safety-critical nursing workforce, and for the people who rely on safe, high-quality care.”

 

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