Due to the current restrictions and the absence of community councils’ meetings, county councillor Jon Preston has provided the following ward updates for Penally, Gumfreston and New Hedges (St. Mary Out Liberty)...

Community volunteers

Thank you to everyone who has put their name forward to act as community volunteers since the lockdown was put in place. Your willingness to help others during this time is appreciated so much.

The support network in Penally have been able to contact every household in the village offering support services via the village newsletter the Crow News. The current situation has also prompted some very innovative ways of staying connected.

Members of the Penally village hall committee have held virtual events online including Quiz Nights and an Easter Bonnet competition.

Rev. Rob Wainwright has also provided church services online since the lockdown began. Other virtual meetings are also taking place amongst various community groups.

If anyone wishes to access a virtual group or start one of their own, please let me know and I can assist with that.

Thanks to Mike and Judy who have been running our community ‘Information Office’ by helping me sift through a lot of information from county hall and share it with the wider community.

If anyone wishes to be added to the information distribution list, then please contact me.

Inter community working

I would like to thank my colleague Clr. Phil Baker in supporting residents of the St. Mary Out Liberty community outside of New Hedges village via the Saundersfoot connect team.

Along with volunteers in New Hedges who have assisted in leaflet distribution, picking up shopping/prescriptions and providing morale support to those in isolation.

This joint network has proved to friendly and efficient in assisting those in need.

I would like to remind those who may not have already done so to register with the Pembrokeshire county council Covid-19 community hub https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-community-information/community-hub to ensure that support is managed and that volunteers are co-ordinated effectively via myself or our community council clerk.

Other support

Essential retail businesses continue to operate throughout and around the ward with many offering a free delivery service to those who are self-isolating, vulnerable or at risk.

A full list of services can be viewed by visiting the PCC Covid-19 Hub website or by phoning the helpline on 01437 776301.

Criminal activity

Whilst our communities have pulled together and reached out to one another, sadly there have been reports of opportunists taking advantage of the current situation.

Two separate incidences of theft have occurred since lockdown. A grocery delivery from Tenby Post Office and Stores was taken from the customers doorstep. Vince from the Post Office very kindly replaced all the stolen items free of charge.

Unbelievably in a separate incident a PAVS food donation box was also taken from the foyer of the village church.

The donation box has now been moved to the Penally vicarage where donations will continue to be gratefully accepted.

Unfortunately, there will be those who will see this situation as an opportunity to commit crime, including telephone /postal scams and internet fraud. If in any doubt check it out.

Essential travel

I am receiving regular messages from those who are concerned about people who continue to travel into the county to occupy holiday homes.

There is a dedicated website to report such matters at https://www.service.police.uk/coronavirus-measures/?frc=63

This has already proved to be successful in challenging groups of people making unnecessary journeys to local beaches harvesting cockles at low tide which has long been a problem at Waterwynch.

The police have been very active in stopping traffic coming into the area, but some do ‘slip through the net’.

Additional powers are to be rolled out by the Welsh government to tackle the problem which come into force on April 25.

Lockdown restrictions

The lockdown restrictions have brought about the closure of the civic amenity’s sites across the county and many areas of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park closed to the public.

For some, this has not been received well and I have had questions raised with me as to why this is necessary to combat Covid-19.

Under normal circumstances the local authority and other public organisations would work to improve lives, now the focus is to save lives.

The less movement of people particularly in hazardous areas reduces the risk of a fall or injury which may otherwise require the attention of the emergency services and / or the NHS.

These are vital resources that we have some control over protecting during this time. Staying safe extends beyond Covid-19 as any preventable accident, injury or incident put avoidable pressure on all our emergency services.

Antisocial behaviour

There has been an ongoing problem with repeated anti-social behaviour within one area of the ward.

Dyfed Powys Police have attended multiple incidents at the same properties since the lockdown began.

This is an unacceptable draw on the emergency services and other resources. I am working with Dyfed Powys Police, Pembrokeshire county council and Ateb Housing regarding repeated breaches of the peace.

I want to assure residents that I am monitoring the situation daily and that I will do everything that I can to bring this matter to a close.

Being a good neighbour during lockdown

Whilst we have all been stuck at home, we are naturally looking for things that need doing around the house. This is quite understandable however it is important that we respect our neighbours and keep noise to a minimum.

The noise from power tools and smoke from garden bonfires have been reported to me on several occasions.

If the problem is regularly occurring, it can be reported to PCC’s environmental health officer at https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/public-health/bonfires who will advise on what measures can be taken.

Please feel free to contact Jon on 07792289021 or email: [email protected]