Questions continued to be aimed at the Home Office and local MP?Simon Hart over the fact that less than half the amount owed to the local authority to cover the recovery costs of Penally camp - repurposed back in September of last year as an asylum seeker accommodation centre, has been offered.

Despite an invoice for more than £80,000 being submitted by Pembrokeshire County Council to the Home Office for Penally camp costs, an offer of just £39,700 of the amount invoiced has been made by the HO, with Penally county councillor and Plaid Cymru representative Jon Preston continuing to slam the decision.

Penally Training Camp returned to Ministry of Defence control in March, ending its controversial Home Office imposed use as accommodation for asylum seekers during the pandemic, which was carried out without any consultation with the community, Local Authority, Welsh Government, Hywel Dda Health Board, Dyfed Powys Police or any other stakeholders.

In correspondence sent to Welsh Secretary of State Simon Hart, the MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Clr. Preston who represents the Penally ward said that it was unacceptable that the Home Office continues to deny the Pembrokeshire taxpayer £54,148.95 of public money.

“The significant impact experienced by the residents of Penally, the people of Pembrokeshire and vulnerable adults in our care during the repurposing of Penally training unit last September should not be underestimated,” wrote Clr. Preston.

“The disruption, uncertainty and absence of any consultation with the local authority or the Penally community during a global pandemic was unparalleled with anything our small village has experienced during peacetime.

“However, as if that was not enough, the people of Pembrokeshire are now expected to cover 58 per cent of the costs of providing essential services to the Home Office operation at Penally barracks!

“Despite the best efforts of Pembrokeshire County council financial officers and the Leader of the council, the Home Office will not reimburse anything above £39,700 of the £93,848 invoice.

“This leaves £54,148.95 of public money that the Home Office is denying the Pembrokeshire taxpayer.

“I do not need to remind you that these expenses were unavoidably incurred due to the Home Office acting without any consultation with any elected body in Wales or Pembrokeshire prior to the repurposing of Penally camp. The Local Authority was left without any choice but to provide services to the Home Office.”

Clr. Preston went onto say that the ‘people of Penally’ who experienced the full impact of this Home Office decision could do a lot for the community with the outstanding costs, for example - safety measures on the by-pass, new play equipment and the upgrading of public amenities.

“This sum of money could also cover PCC’s contribution to the Wales Ironman event 2022 of which I understand you are a keen supporter,” continued Clr. Preston in his correspondence to Mr. Hart.

“At this time, I remain unconvinced that the Home Office have secured adequate legal authority to withhold payment from Pembrokeshire County council as set out in HM Treasury policies for the management of public money.

“In your position as Secretary of State for Wales and as our local MP, I would welcome more robust representation at Westminster for the constituents of Penally and Pembrokeshire.

“I trust you will support my attempts to recover the outstanding costs for the Pembrokeshire taxpayers,” he added.