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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED That the 2025 event remains as it is for this year but the events strategy is relooked at and is fit for purpose to encourage and support events in the short term and long term for the benefit of Pembrokeshire. [Councillor Di Clements left the meeting at this juncture.] The Committee then proceeded with the debate in order to determine further recommendations to Cabinet. • The Chair wished to clarify that there was no legal agreement currently in place with Activity Events Wales. The Public Realm Manager confirmed that there was no host agreement with the organisers, but went on to explain that an agreement could be developed and outlined what it would cover in regards to the requirements from both sides. • Councillor Sinnett stated that host agreements for major events would be very helpful moving forward, and suggested that they form part of the review of the Major Events Strategy. He added that such agreements may not be required for small scale events, but that the requirements of an agreement would need to be looked into. • The Chair questioned whether such an agreement would give the Authority some control over the size of an event. In response, the Public Realm Manager explained that such an element could be included in a host agreement. He then explained what other aspects could be included, and welcomed the views of Council and what the wider membership would like to see included in an agreement. The Chair questioned whether Cabinet or Scrutiny would be responsible for the formation of a template agreement. The Public Realm Manager suggested that the draft agreement be taken to the Events Advisory Board for review. Councillor Sinnett agreed that the initial stages could go through the Events Advisory Board, and then it could be taken to either Cabinet or Scrutiny, depending on the process that would need to be followed. • Councillor Jordan agreed that an agreement needed to be in place moving forward, and suggested that the matter had been overlooked since Covid-19. Councillor Rhys Jordan then suggested the following Motion: That no date for a Long Course weekend is released unless a host agreement is in place and agreed by Cabinet. • Councillor Sinnett believed that a host agreement would cover such an issue, but was unsure as to whether the Authority could stop event organisers from announcing event dates. The Public Realm Manager confirmed that there were various events around the County that were set up without consulting the Authority, but believed this was a good opportunity to create a template agreement with Activity Wales Events. He stated that there was a legal agreement in place for Iron Man Wales, but believed the host agreement for the Long Course Weekend did not need to be as rigid as a legal document, and stated that it was more about collaborative working. In regards to the 2025 event, he suggested that a meeting between himself, Activity Wales Events and the originators of the NOM, in order to understand how the current issues could be resolved in the short term. • Mr Powell was in favour of having a host agreement in place, as well as agreeing three to five years of future event dates, to allow people to plan in advance. He asked that a host agreement be established ahead of the 2025 event, as it was important that the date for the 2026 event was released on the weekend of the 2025 event. • Councillor Jordan then clarified that he was not attempting to stop the release of the date for the 2026 event, but explained that if there was no host agreement in place before the weekend of the 2025 event, then he would be disappointed to see a date being released by the organisers for the 2026 event, as it would be difficult to amend aspects of an event when it was already in motion. • Councillor Williams stated that he was happy to meet with the Public Realm Manager and Activity Wales Events to find a way forward for the 2025 event. He accepted that it would be difficult to please everyone, but urged Mr Powell to speak to some of the local businesses and listen to their issues. He added that a solution was needed in order for Saundersfoot to benefit from the event. In response, Mr Powell stated that he was more than happy to meet and speak with local businesses, and outlined the various benefits that were offered to businesses during an event, such as free advertising, and hoped that the event would be beneficial to all. • Councillor Kidney stated his concern in regards to withholding a date for the 2026 event, and suggested that it would create uncertainty amongst those involved or wishing to participate. He requested that the host agreement be established as soon as possible, in order to allow the organisers to advertise in their usual manner. In response, the Public Realm Manager agreed that the sooner event dates could be established the better, as it assisted with the Authority’s calendar of events and ultimately the publication of such dates. Councillor Rhys Jordan then Proposed the following Motion: That it be recommended to Cabinet that a formal host agreement between Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) and Activity Wales Events (AWE) is established prior to the Long Course Weekend (LCW) 2025. This agreement should clearly define event dates and provide a framework for future events. Furthermore, if both parties fail to reach an agreement ahead of LCW 2025, PCC will not support the event should AWE announce a 2026 date without a host agreement in place. This approach ensures clarity, mutual consent, and a structured partnership between PCC and AWE. The Motion was Seconded by Councillor John Cole. The vote, undertaken by way of a roll call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Steve Alderman, Mark Carter, John Cole, Terry Davies, Huw Murphy, Rhys Jordan, Tim Evans, Viv Stoddart, Vanessa Thomas, Thomas Tudor and Chris Williams [11] There were no votes against or abstentions. RESOLVED That it be recommended to Cabinet that a formal host agreement between Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) and Activity Wales Events (AWE) is established prior to the Long Course Weekend (LCW) 2025. This agreement should clearly define event dates and provide a framework for future events. Furthermore, if both parties fail to reach an agreement ahead of LCW 2025, PCC will not support the event should AWE announce a 2026 date without a host agreement in place. This approach ensures clarity, mutual consent, and a structured partnership between PCC and AWE. Councillor Sinnett thanked Members for bringing their thoughts together and wished to add that he would promote a review of the Major Events Strategy, alongside the development of a host agreement, at the next Cabinet meeting. He believed that there was still some work to be done in regards to the 2025 event in order to overcome any potential objections from Members, whilst keeping the route largely the same.
There were no apologies for absence. The Chair announced that Councillor Huw Murphy was present as a substitute for Councillor Brian Hall, Councillor Tim Evans was present as a substitute for Councillor Shon Rees, and Councillor Vanessa Thomas was present as a substitute for Councillor Anji Tinley.
The Chair announced that Councillor Alec Cormack had joined the meeting to speak to his Notice of Motion, alongside Committee Member Councillor Chris Williams. The Chair also announced that Councillors Phil Kidney and Michael Williams had joined the meeting to speak.
Councillor Steve Alderman declared a personal interest by virtue of the Long Course route going through his ward. Councillor Di Clements declared a personal interest by virtue of her family members taking part in the event.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the 2025 event remains as it is for this year but the events strategy is relooked at and is fit for purpose to encourage and support events in the short term and long term for the benefit of Pembrokeshire. [Councillor Di Clements left the meeting at this juncture.] The Committee then proceeded with the debate in order to determine further recommendations to Cabinet. • The Chair wished to clarify that there was no legal agreement currently in place with Activity Events Wales. The Public Realm Manager confirmed that there was no host agreement with the organisers, but went on to explain that an agreement could be developed and outlined what it would cover in regards to the requirements from both sides. • Councillor Sinnett stated that host agreements for major events would be very helpful moving forward, and suggested that they form part of the review of the Major Events Strategy. He added that such agreements may not be required for small scale events, but that the requirements of an agreement would need to be looked into. • The Chair questioned whether such an agreement would give the Authority some control over the size of an event. In response, the Public Realm Manager explained that such an element could be included in a host agreement. He then explained what other aspects could be included, and welcomed the views of Council and what the wider membership would like to see included in an agreement. The Chair questioned whether Cabinet or Scrutiny would be responsible for the formation of a template agreement. The Public Realm Manager suggested that the draft agreement be taken to the Events Advisory Board for review. Councillor Sinnett agreed that the initial stages could go through the Events Advisory Board, and then it could be taken to either Cabinet or Scrutiny, depending on the process that would need to be followed. • Councillor Jordan agreed that an agreement needed to be in place moving forward, and suggested that the matter had been overlooked since Covid-19. Councillor Rhys Jordan then suggested the following Motion: That no date for a Long Course weekend is released unless a host agreement is in place and agreed by Cabinet. • Councillor Sinnett believed that a host agreement would cover such an issue, but was unsure as to whether the Authority could stop event organisers from announcing event dates. The Public Realm Manager confirmed that there were various events around the County that were set up without consulting the Authority, but believed this was a good opportunity to create a template agreement with Activity Wales Events. He stated that there was a legal agreement in place for Iron Man Wales, but believed the host agreement for the Long Course Weekend did not need to be as rigid as a legal document, and stated that it was more about collaborative working. In regards to the 2025 event, he suggested that a meeting between himself, Activity Wales Events and the originators of the NOM, in order to understand how the current issues could be resolved in the short term. • Mr Powell was in favour of having a host agreement in place, as well as agreeing three to five years of future event dates, to allow people to plan in advance. He asked that a host agreement be established ahead of the 2025 event, as it was important that the date for the 2026 event was released on the weekend of the 2025 event. • Councillor Jordan then clarified that he was not attempting to stop the release of the date for the 2026 event, but explained that if there was no host agreement in place before the weekend of the 2025 event, then he would be disappointed to see a date being released by the organisers for the 2026 event, as it would be difficult to amend aspects of an event when it was already in motion. • Councillor Williams stated that he was happy to meet with the Public Realm Manager and Activity Wales Events to find a way forward for the 2025 event. He accepted that it would be difficult to please everyone, but urged Mr Powell to speak to some of the local businesses and listen to their issues. He added that a solution was needed in order for Saundersfoot to benefit from the event. In response, Mr Powell stated that he was more than happy to meet and speak with local businesses, and outlined the various benefits that were offered to businesses during an event, such as free advertising, and hoped that the event would be beneficial to all. • Councillor Kidney stated his concern in regards to withholding a date for the 2026 event, and suggested that it would create uncertainty amongst those involved or wishing to participate. He requested that the host agreement be established as soon as possible, in order to allow the organisers to advertise in their usual manner. In response, the Public Realm Manager agreed that the sooner event dates could be established the better, as it assisted with the Authority’s calendar of events and ultimately the publication of such dates. Councillor Rhys Jordan then Proposed the following Motion: That it be recommended to Cabinet that a formal host agreement between Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) and Activity Wales Events (AWE) is established prior to the Long Course Weekend (LCW) 2025. This agreement should clearly define event dates and provide a framework for future events. Furthermore, if both parties fail to reach an agreement ahead of LCW 2025, PCC will not support the event should AWE announce a 2026 date without a host agreement in place. This approach ensures clarity, mutual consent, and a structured partnership between PCC and AWE. The Motion was Seconded by Councillor John Cole. The vote, undertaken by way of a roll call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Steve Alderman, Mark Carter, John Cole, Terry Davies, Huw Murphy, Rhys Jordan, Tim Evans, Viv Stoddart, Vanessa Thomas, Thomas Tudor and Chris Williams [11] There were no votes against or abstentions. RESOLVED That it be recommended to Cabinet that a formal host agreement between Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) and Activity Wales Events (AWE) is established prior to the Long Course Weekend (LCW) 2025. This agreement should clearly define event dates and provide a framework for future events. Furthermore, if both parties fail to reach an agreement ahead of LCW 2025, PCC will not support the event should AWE announce a 2026 date without a host agreement in place. This approach ensures clarity, mutual consent, and a structured partnership between PCC and AWE. Councillor Sinnett thanked Members for bringing their thoughts together and wished to add that he would promote a review of the Major Events Strategy, alongside the development of a host agreement, at the next Cabinet meeting. He believed that there was still some work to be done in regards to the 2025 event in order to overcome any potential objections from Members, whilst keeping the route largely the same.
The Chair introduced the report and invited the originators of the Notice of Motion, Councillors Chris Williams and Alec Cormack to outline their Motion. Councillor Chris Williams provided the background of the matter, which included the impacts on village communities, the balance between the benefits of such events with the wellbeing of residents and local businesses, and the support for the event from the Authority no longer being justified. He explained that whilst the Long Course Weekend event received no direct financial payment support from the Council, it did receive in-kind support including Officer time, logistical assistance for the road closures and free use of Council assets, i.e. the Salterns Car Park. He believed that due to the current budget crisis, this aspect needed to be scrutinised by Members. Councillor Williams also referred to the lack of consultation with the Council, by Activity Wales, in regards to confirming the date for the following years’ events. He wished to clarify that he did support the concept and value of the event, however, due to cuts to public services, it was felt that it was no longer appropriate for the Council to provide services at no cost. Councillor Rhys Sinnett, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Residents’ Services, highlighted that the Motion was also due for discussion at the next Cabinet meeting on 13 January 2025. He explained that in order for Cabinet to make a decision, it was important that there was some agreement from the Committee by way of a Recommendation, in regards to both the issue of value in-kind and the event itself, including the route. He stated his concerns regarding the message potentially being sent out to other event organisers who may be looking to bring an event to Pembrokeshire in the future. He also referred to the various impacts on local businesses, with the hospitality sector perhaps benefiting more from such an event, as well as the economic impact on the County as a whole. He then suggested that a review of the Major Event Strategy be undertaken. The Public Realm Manager referred to the information provided in the report and referred to the comments made regarding the use of the car park and admin costs, and explained that the advertising of the road closure was an expenditure that was passed on to Activity Wales, and that the car park usage over the last two years was part of the in-kind element of services used. The Deputy Chief Finance Officer added that there was a net financial benefit currently, due to the event. Councillor Rhys Jordan wished to clarify that the Saltern’s car park had been used for more than two years. The Public Realm Manager confirmed that Councillor Jordan was correct and clarified that the car park had been used for the last two years for the entirety of the event, compared to previously where it was used as a start line for the bike race, which would then resume as a car park following that race. The Chair then invited Scott Powell, Director and Co Founder of Activity Wales Events, to speak to the Motion. Mr Powell explained that the concerns raised had been listened to, however, the basis for the objections was unknown. He referred to support from local businesses and athletes in regards to the current situation, mixed messages from Members, and lack of detail in regards to the complaints from members of the community and local businesses. He explained that Activity Wales Events had a strong record of listening to the community and making amendments. He also added that in 2024, the event contributed over £8 million to the local economy, which was based on the Welsh Government Event Calculator figure. Mr Powell also referred to the substantial community advantages, such as the Pembrokeshire County Council Learn to Swim Programme, and outlined the positive aspects of the programme and other community advantages. He then referred to the partnership effort between the organisation and local community groups and local companies, and explained that the events had transformed the health and wellbeing of many people in the area. Mr Powell also highlighted the financial support, and agreed with Councillor Sinnett regarding the messages being sent out regarding events. He added that he was in favour of entering into a long-term host agreement, and suggested that a steering group be established in order to foster collaboration and address community concerns. The Chair then invited the non-Committee Members to speak to the Motion, Councillors Michael Williams and Phil Kidney. Councillor Michael Williams stated his support for Councillors Williams’ concerns and outlined various issues with the event around the Tenby area. He believed that there needed to be more communication from the organisers to help alleviate some of the issues, and suggested that such events made it difficult for residents to go about everyday functions. Councillor Phil Kidney outlined his view of the event and stated that the organisers were helpful and had attended various Community Council meetings, where concerns were dealt with. He then outlined the money raised through the event, and agreed with Councillor Sinnett in regards to the messages being put out in relation to events in Pembrokeshire, and the uncertainty it created for athletes wishing to participate. Councillor Kidney also highlighted the Legacy Programme and believed that it did not get enough exposure, and concluded by stating his support for the event. The Chair then read out a statement from Emma Thornton, the Chief Executive of Visit Pembrokeshire, as follows: “Visit Pembrokeshire understands that there is a notice of motion going to the Services and Overview Scrutiny Committee on Friday 10th January to withdraw the current in kind support to Long Course Weekend as a result of increasing concerns from local communities around the impact of this event. In our 2024-28 Destination Management Plan Visit Pembrokeshire set out our shared ambition as a county “to be a global leader in regenerative tourism - delivering great visitor experiences, enriching communities and with nature in mind.” In summary this is about ensuring tourism in Pembrokeshire delivers a net benefit to those who live and work in our county alongside visitors. In the Destination Management Plan we also set out our shared commitment to support the Council’s Events strategy to build year-round tourism and to build on our current reputation as a county that welcomes and supports sports endurance events. It is clearly very important that residents’ concerns are listened to and where appropriate changes to alleviate these concerns are made. We would expect AWE to welcome open dialogue around these concerns and to work closely with PCC and local communities to alleviate these. However, in informing any discussion and subsequent decision we would urge councillors to consider the significant economic benefits to the county that events like LCW and Iron man (which are interdependent) deliver, not only in terms of the events themselves but the national and international profile it delivers for our county. Visitor numbers and tourism economic value are still not back to 2019 levels, when taking inflation into account, and therefore it will be important for us to do what we can to safeguard events and activities that set us apart from our competitor destinations, support our tourism businesses, and help us to grow tourism sustainably for the benefit of all.” The Committee then raised the following points: • Councillor John Cole stated that he not heard any positive aspects from Councillors Williams and Cormack in regards to their communities, only negative aspects. He stated that he would not support the NOM as he did not have enough information on the matter. • Councillor Di Clements appreciated that people were impacted, but highlighted that some people were positively impacted as a result of the event for the rest of the year. She stated that the event provided significant economic and health benefits to Pembrokeshire, and highlighted that it was difficult to get people to live and work in the County, and that the event provided an opportunity for people to see what Pembrokeshire had to offer. Councillor Clements then questioned whether the entries had been opened for 2025, and believed that if the route was changed from a closed road route, it would cause significant reputational damage to the Authority. She stated that she could not support the NOM. Councillor Clements then suggested that the event should remain the same for 2025, as well as the need to design a more fit for purpose policy in regards to how the Authority supported such events in the short and long term, with involvement from communities. She suggested that the wider economic benefit to Pembrokeshire must be considered. • In regards to 2025 entries, Mr Powell confirmed that entries were open for 2025 and that competitors were expecting a closed road event. • The Chair wished to clarify that it was Activity Wales Events who had proposed the route change, not the Authority. Mr Powell stated that that was not the case, and explained that he was under the impression that as the Local Members would not support the road closures through Saundersfoot, the only way the event could be delivered was to move to an open road event. • Councillor Thomas Tudor stated that he was sympathetic with both the Local Members and Mr Powell, but believed that there was scope for further discussions and negotiations on the matter. He suggested that more scrutiny was needed in relation to the financial aspects, but appreciated that Mr Powell referred to communicating with local communities to make amendments where necessary. • The Chair then highlighted that the first aspect for Members to consider was whether to continue to supply services for no charge, or agree the NOM. Councillor Tudor questioned whether this was in relation to 2025 or future years. The Chair confirmed that 2025 would be looked at initially. • Councillor Tudor stated that in light of Councillor Clements’ comments regarding competitors who may have already booked, he would be inclined to leave the 2025 event as it was, with further scrutiny for future events. Councillor Di Clements then Proposed the following Motion: That the 2025 event remains as it is for this year but the events strategy is relooked at and is fit for purpose to encourage and support events in the short term and long term for the benefit of Pembrokeshire. The Motion was Seconded by Councillor Huw Murphy. • Councillor Alec Cormack wished to clarify whether the proposal related to the finance in-kind aspect, or whether it referred to the event as a whole. The Chair clarified that the proposal related to the 2025 event and that further recommendations would be made in regards to the future of the event. Councillor Clements confirmed that that was the intention of the proposal. Councillor Murphy also stated his support for this position. • Councillor Murphy highlighted that the wider context of the event, in regards to the benefits to Pembrokeshire and the West Wales economy, needed to be considered. He believed that improvements could be made, however, given the short timescale of the 2025 event, it would be wrong to intervene at this late stage, but that changes could be made in a measured way for the following year. • Councillor Viv Stoddart questioned to what extent support was provided by the Authority for such an event, and agreed that more scrutiny was needed of not only this event, but all events. She suggested that such events should be made sustainable in their own right so that there was no cost to the Authority, residents and tax payers. • Councillor Steve Alderman referred to road closures in his ward as a result of the event, and suggested that if they could be amended, then that would be acceptable. He also referred to the difficulty for residents to leave the area during such events, as well as road closures interrupting farm work and intervening with tractors and trailers down an already narrow road. • Councillor Williams wished to clarify that Councillor Clements’ proposal was allowing the 2025 event to remain the same as 2024. Councillor Clements confirmed this to be the case, as well as proposing to look at future events moving forward. Councillor Williams outlined past issues and commented that communication between himself, Councillor Cormack, Activity Wales Events and the Authority, could have been better, and suggested that improvements needed to be made. He highlighted that the fundamental matter was how local businesses were affected as a result of the event. He wished to clarify that he was not against the event, just the full road closure within his community. In response, Mr Powell disagreed with Councillor Williams’ comments regarding past issues and believed that he had a good relationship with Members and always listened to the community. He then went on to highlight the various aspects of advertising to the local community to make them aware of closures, and reiterated the need for a host agreement and a steering group to discuss improvements. • Councillor Sinnett stated that he had no issue with Councillor Clements’ proposal, and suggested that the issue of value-in-kind be addressed on an event by event basis. He then wished to clarify whether the proposal would allow the 2025 event route to be amended slightly, to assist with the concerns of various Members. Councillor Clements referred to a new route that had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting, and explained that the route should remain in the south of the County for 2025, and that small tweaks to the route were likely but that that was the responsibility of the organisers. • Councillor Cormack referred to the financial aspect of the event and stated that the rationale behind various local businesses losing money was not obvious to him, and questioned how the financial benefits assist the County as a whole. He also referred to the amount of laps involved and suggested that a single lap route would make the event less onerous on the areas involved. • Councillor Tudor suggested that such events needed to be cost neutral to the Authority, and that that aspect needed to be considered. • The Chair appreciated the positive aspects of the event, but raised concern around the Authority providing support and services to some companies and not others. • Councillor Clements wished to clarify that she believed it was too late to amend the route for 2025, but that alternative routes should be considered for future years. • Councillor Jordan stated his support for any event that promoted health and activity, however, he was not convinced by the figures outlined throughout the meeting, and suggested that further work needed to be undertaken. He highlighted that it was ultimately a decision for Cabinet, and stated his concerns for the 2025 event, despite the outcome of the meeting. The Committee then proceeded to the vote on the following Motion, which was proposed by Councillor Clements and Seconded by Councillor Murphy: That the 2025 event remains as it is for this year but the events strategy is relooked at and is fit for purpose to encourage and support events in the short term and long term for the benefit of Pembrokeshire. The vote, undertaken by way of a roll call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Steve Alderman, Di Clements, John Cole, Terry Davies, Huw Murphy, Tim Evans, Vanessa Thomas and Thomas Tudor [8] Against the Motion: Councillors Mark Carter, Viv Stoddart and Chris Williams [3] Abstentions: Councillor Rhys Jordan [1] RESOLVED That the 2025 event remains as it is for this year but the events strategy is relooked at and is fit for purpose to encourage and support events in the short term and long term for the benefit of Pembrokeshire. [Councillor Di Clements left the meeting at this juncture.] The Committee then proceeded with the debate in order to determine further recommendations to Cabinet. • The Chair wished to clarify that there was no legal agreement currently in place with Activity Events Wales. The Public Realm Manager confirmed that there was no host agreement with the organisers, but went on to explain that an agreement could be developed and outlined what it would cover in regards to the requirements from both sides. • Councillor Sinnett stated that host agreements for major events would be very helpful moving forward, and suggested that they form part of the review of the Major Events Strategy. He added that such agreements may not be required for small scale events, but that the requirements of an agreement would need to be looked into. • The Chair questioned whether such an agreement would give the Authority some control over the size of an event. In response, the Public Realm Manager explained that such an element could be included in a host agreement. He then explained what other aspects could be included, and welcomed the views of Council and what the wider membership would like to see included in an agreement. The Chair questioned whether Cabinet or Scrutiny would be responsible for the formation of a template agreement. The Public Realm Manager suggested that the draft agreement be taken to the Events Advisory Board for review. Councillor Sinnett agreed that the initial stages could go through the Events Advisory Board, and then it could be taken to either Cabinet or Scrutiny, depending on the process that would need to be followed. • Councillor Jordan agreed that an agreement needed to be in place moving forward, and suggested that the matter had been overlooked since Covid-19. Councillor Rhys Jordan then suggested the following Motion: That no date for a Long Course weekend is released unless a host agreement is in place and agreed by Cabinet. • Councillor Sinnett believed that a host agreement would cover such an issue, but was unsure as to whether the Authority could stop event organisers from announcing event dates. The Public Realm Manager confirmed that there were various events around the County that were set up without consulting the Authority, but believed this was a good opportunity to create a template agreement with Activity Wales Events. He stated that there was a legal agreement in place for Iron Man Wales, but believed the host agreement for the Long Course Weekend did not need to be as rigid as a legal document, and stated that it was more about collaborative working. In regards to the 2025 event, he suggested that a meeting between himself, Activity Wales Events and the originators of the NOM, in order to understand how the current issues could be resolved in the short term. • Mr Powell was in favour of having a host agreement in place, as well as agreeing three to five years of future event dates, to allow people to plan in advance. He asked that a host agreement be established ahead of the 2025 event, as it was important that the date for the 2026 event was released on the weekend of the 2025 event. • Councillor Jordan then clarified that he was not attempting to stop the release of the date for the 2026 event, but explained that if there was no host agreement in place before the weekend of the 2025 event, then he would be disappointed to see a date being released by the organisers for the 2026 event, as it would be difficult to amend aspects of an event when it was already in motion. • Councillor Williams stated that he was happy to meet with the Public Realm Manager and Activity Wales Events to find a way forward for the 2025 event. He accepted that it would be difficult to please everyone, but urged Mr Powell to speak to some of the local businesses and listen to their issues. He added that a solution was needed in order for Saundersfoot to benefit from the event. In response, Mr Powell stated that he was more than happy to meet and speak with local businesses, and outlined the various benefits that were offered to businesses during an event, such as free advertising, and hoped that the event would be beneficial to all. • Councillor Kidney stated his concern in regards to withholding a date for the 2026 event, and suggested that it would create uncertainty amongst those involved or wishing to participate. He requested that the host agreement be established as soon as possible, in order to allow the organisers to advertise in their usual manner. In response, the Public Realm Manager agreed that the sooner event dates could be established the better, as it assisted with the Authority’s calendar of events and ultimately the publication of such dates. Councillor Rhys Jordan then Proposed the following Motion: That it be recommended to Cabinet that a formal host agreement between Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) and Activity Wales Events (AWE) is established prior to the Long Course Weekend (LCW) 2025. This agreement should clearly define event dates and provide a framework for future events. Furthermore, if both parties fail to reach an agreement ahead of LCW 2025, PCC will not support the event should AWE announce a 2026 date without a host agreement in place. This approach ensures clarity, mutual consent, and a structured partnership between PCC and AWE. The Motion was Seconded by Councillor John Cole. The vote, undertaken by way of a roll call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Steve Alderman, Mark Carter, John Cole, Terry Davies, Huw Murphy, Rhys Jordan, Tim Evans, Viv Stoddart, Vanessa Thomas, Thomas Tudor and Chris Williams [11] There were no votes against or abstentions. RESOLVED That it be recommended to Cabinet that a formal host agreement between Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) and Activity Wales Events (AWE) is established prior to the Long Course Weekend (LCW) 2025. This agreement should clearly define event dates and provide a framework for future events. Furthermore, if both parties fail to reach an agreement ahead of LCW 2025, PCC will not support the event should AWE announce a 2026 date without a host agreement in place. This approach ensures clarity, mutual consent, and a structured partnership between PCC and AWE. Councillor Sinnett thanked Members for bringing their thoughts together and wished to add that he would promote a review of the Major Events Strategy, alongside the development of a host agreement, at the next Cabinet meeting. He believed that there was still some work to be done in regards to the 2025 event in order to overcome any potential objections from Members, whilst keeping the route largely the same.
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