*******Update****** 22nd April
Press Comment
“In a Welsh context, a £200,000 donation to a single politician is unheard of. It just doesn’t happen. The fact that the company that made the donation is so heavily engaged in activities regulated by Welsh Government raises questions in itself, but the revelation now that it was also the beneficiary of a Development Bank of Wales loan of £400,000 is extraordinary.”
“People living close to the RML landfill site in mid Pembrokeshire are outraged at how this group of companies, all owned by David Neal, has been able to destroy their quality of life with seemingly so little oversight and enforcement by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). The stench affecting the community is appalling and the enormous convoys of Atlantic Recycling lorries, owned by the same individual, that come through their villages each day is unacceptable. The question everyone is asking is how on earth this business was allowed to grow so quickly.”
“The First Minister must urgently step forward and state whether he knew about the Development Bank loan to Dauson Group and, if so, why he felt able to accept the donation to his campaign. He was Economy Minister at the time and the Development Bank came under his portfolio. It is in the public interest to know the exact size of the loan, what was the stated purpose of the loan application, and why a company that was so reliant on a Welsh Government-owned bank loan was in a position to donate money to Vaughan Gething’s political campaign.”
“Meanwhile, my constituents just want their quality of life back. Alongside my Senedd colleague Paul Davies MS, I have raised residents’ concerns with Pembrokeshire County Council, Welsh Government Ministers and NRW, and I remain deeply concerned about the ongoing management of the site. I have also written directly to the First Minister for further enforcement action to be taken, independent air quality monitoring installed and better site management but have received no response. Ultimately, it is down to Welsh Labour Government who solely have the power to stop the ongoing problems at the landfill.”
“Pembrokeshire has been turned into a dumping ground for waste from across South Wales on the back of the contracts secured by this company. The landfill site cannot be allowed to continue operating in the way it does"
******Update***** 19th April
Letter written to Vaughan Gething MS, First Minister for Wales dated 26th March. No reply received yet. Copy of letter sent to Chief Executive of NRW and Pembrokeshire County Council. No reply received.
Advice surgery for all in Rudbaxton and Spittal Ward advertised via posted letter to all ward residents. Held on Thursday 11th April. 60 second survey sent to all ward residents and all will receive all reply.
Continue to work with Paul Davies MS to keep pressure on Welsh Government and NRW to take action.
Please see letter attached which outlines my own personal feelings about the Landfill situation which is unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue.
*****UPDATE***** 26th February 2024
Regarding the meeting today, it will be an important opportunity for the residents in the local community to ask direct questions to the site owner and those public bodies that are responsible for the regulation of the Landfill. It is being held at Crundale Community Hall at 7pm.
As Parliament is sitting I will be in Westminster today and unfortunately I will not be able to attend. I will make sure I get full feedback from the local County Councillor about how it proceeds.
Just a reminder about my action so far on this devolved issue:
In December I wrote to Chief Executive of Pembrokeshire County Council, and the Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales, demanding action on behalf of the community. This prompted a site visit in early January with the Chief Executive of PCC, which my team attended (it was a sitting day in Parliament). Paul Davies MS, as the lead on this devolved issue, also attended.
Following this, I wrote to the Welsh Government Minister for Climate Change, Julie James MS, asking for her to attend your meeting and engage with the issues relating to the Landfill. I also wrote out to the community to update them and share information. I have also been sharing updates that I have received from NRW and Welsh Government on my own Facebook page.
Paul Davies, as the local MS, has been directly challenging the Minister in the Senedd as part of our collaborative approach to maintain the pressure on those who are in a position to effect a prompt and lasting solution to this issue.
December 2023
I am aware of the strength of feeling in the community about the unacceptable odour coming from the nearby Withyhedge Landfill, as well as the excessive amount of lorry traffic on the road to the site. I have also smelled it on the A40 driving past, and I can appreciate your frustration at the lack of progress by the owners of the site, Resource Management UK Ltd (RML).
In response to the large number of complaints from constituents affected, I have been involved in discussions with the Chief Executive of Pembrokeshire County Council and the Head of Operations from Natural Resources Wales, working closely with Paul Davies MS and Cllr Steve Yelland. A site visit was held last week, where the Managing Director of RML was challenged on the management of the site, the volume of traffic and the offensive odour. It is essential that RML work take urgent action to resolve this situation.
In early December I wrote the regulator Natural Resources Wales to ask about the steps they were taking to eradicate the odour and to enquire into the management of the site, and received a response which I include below for your information.
Here’s a reminder of the avenues to report your concerns:
- Stop The Stink (Withyhedge Landfill Site) on Pembrokeshire County Council website https://mgenglish.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay...
- NRW website – Report an Incident page https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/contact-us/report-an-incident/?lang=en or on 0300 065 3000, available 24 hours a day
- Pembrokeshire County Council on Your Account page https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/report-a-problem or on 01437 764551 during office hours
