18 News National accolade for Carmarthenshire CEO MARK JAMES CBE, who


has made his fair share of the headlines over the last couple of years, has finally received some national recognition for his efforts. Whether the award from Private


Eye magazine is quite the sort of reward for his efforts that the council’s most senior employee expected or would appreciate is quite another matter. In its most recent edition, the


satirical magazine has handed out one of its not-so coveted awards to Mr James for his selfless pursuit of blogger Jacqui Thompson for libel damages in order to protect the dignity of his office and the reputation of the local authority he serves with such distinction.


HERALD RADIO is the


radio station that provides West Wales news and weather every hour, along with playing the best hit songs from today and a massive mix of hits from the 80s, 90s, 00s and 10s. We also give you a chance every hour to hear national news from across the UK and international news from around the world. Some of the local news stories


Winner: Mark James


Templeton housing development gets go-ahead A PLANNING application for a


housing development comprising 22 dwellings in Templeton, Narberth was approved by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday (Jan 17). The development, which is to be


carried out by GD Harris, will feature ‘various housing types and designs’, including detached houses, semi- detached houses, terraced houses and flats.


The proposed construction,


although ‘contrary’ to policy, given that ‘there would be open-market houses outside of a settlement boundary’, was recommended for approval as a result of the ‘community benefits that would be achieved’. Such benefits included an


extension to the village green, affordable housing, highways improvements and community


parking, all of is to be undertaken by GD Harris. Demonstrating his concern early


on, Cllr Jacob Williams said: “The company GD Harris has a history of going ahead and building what they want without planning permission.” Raising questions over GD


Harris’ commitment to providing such extensive ‘community benefits’, Cllr Williams highlighted a previous GD Harris development in Pentlepoir which was approved by councillors in light of similar conditions being imposed; however, these were then ‘disputed’ by GD Harris who claimed they were ‘not financially viable’. Cllr Williams added that GD


Harris ‘disputed it all the way to the district auditor’, and the council eventually had no option but to ‘cave in’, meaning the proposed community benefits were never carried out.


Building on his point, Cllr


Williams stated: “What’s to say that we’ll approve this and they’ll appeal, they will get what they want, and without the community benefits. “I have to be honest and say that


this company, GD Harris, has got large financial links to this council and I think that’s something that is a factor that makes me think I haven’t really got the confidence that they will go ahead and do these community contributions. “Not only do I have confidence


that the company won’t go ahead and do it, but actually I haven’t got confidence that we can impose it.” Despite a significant contribution


from Cllr Williams regarding GD Harris’ somewhat poor track-record in fulfilling pre-determined community benefits, councillors voted in favour of approving the development.


Buses receive improvement grants WWW.HERALDRADIO.COM


THE CURRENT bus network


in Pembrokeshire has been approved for grant funding to help protect its status. Welsh Government Cabinet


Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure Ken Skates AM approved the cash boost of £70,000 whilst Pembrokeshire County Council develops a statutory bus Quality Partnership Scheme (QPS). A bus Quality Partnership


Scheme is an agreement between the council and local bus operators to improve the quality of services and facilities for users. In order to develop the QPS,


Pembrokeshire County Council has asked the Welsh Government for financial assistance to safeguard services when longstanding public transport provider Silcox Coaches went into administration in June 2016.


The funding was approved


shortly after. “Pembrokeshire County Council


is committed to providing a quality bus service for residents and visitors,” said the Cabinet Member for Transportation and Major Events, Cllr Rob Lewis. “This money will go a long


way to ensuring we can meet that pledge and we recognise and thank the Welsh Government for securing services and saving communities from being stranded last summer. “It’s comforting to know we


were able to save a number of routes and now we’re in a position to work on the bus Quality Partnership Scheme that will ensure passengers receive increased levels of accessibility, more reliable vehicles and improvements in the levels of service.”


we’ve covered this week include that five coaches from two different operators were vandalised whilst parked in Tenby. We told you that Edelston House on Queens Road in Aberystwyth is to be turned into flats. The listed building was built in 1898 and was previously a court and a nursing home - check out our Twitter page (@herald_radio) for a great black and white photograph of the building taken in 1989 with the staff that worked there. We also told you how a stray dog that had evaded capture for two years in Whitland in Carmarrthenshire was caught and is now set to be


re-homed. If you have a local news story for us, then email news@ heraldradio.com and tune in on the hour for our news updates to see if your town, village or hamlet is being mentioned on our hourly news bulletins. If you’re working at a


computer all day then why not tune in to Herald Radio via www. heraldradio.com whilst you’re on your computer working away - you’ll hear ‘the best variety of hit music’ from the 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s and today’s Top 40 from a wide range of artists, as well as the news every hour, and we keep the number of adverts to the minimum. If you’re working in a quiet office then you may need to use headphones, but just remember: people can still hear you singing if you wear them! If you’re not by a computer then you can listen to Herald Radio via the Tune In app. Your fresh new radio station is Herald Radio, so tune in to www. heraldradio.com - your favourite song might be playing right now!


THE HERALD FRIDAY JANUARY 20 2017


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