“Knock it all down”
Pembroke Mayor’s “magic wand” vision for Monkton housing
Written by Whitestone Media Group
Pembroke’s Mayor has described how he would “knock it all down” and replace housing in Monkton’s courts if he had a “magic wand”, during a frank interview with Wellies and Wellness presenter Danny Roberts.
The exchange comes after Danny spent a day walking around Monkton, the community where he grew up, speaking directly to residents about housing, rubbish, antisocial behaviour and facilities for children.
He then took those concerns to Councillor Jonathan Grimes, asking what was being done to address the issues residents had raised and pressing him on council spending priorities.
Cllr Grimes, who also represents Pembroke, Monkton and St Mary South on Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “If I had my way, if I had a magic wand, do you know what I’d like to do? I’d like to move everybody out of the courts, knock it all down, build decent social housing that you get everywhere else in the country, that will actually make it a place that people are proud to live in.”
It was the suggestion that redevelopment would make Monkton somewhere people were proud to live that prompted Danny to challenge him.
“People are proud to live down there, Jonathan. I’m proud of where I come from. I grew up there,” he said.
Cllr Grimes responded that Danny had misunderstood his meaning, explaining that his concern was about the standard of housing.
“I want them to appreciate that they live in good, standard, quality houses that everybody else is entitled to, and they’re not at the moment, and that’s the problem,” he said.
The documentary forms part of Danny’s wider ambition for Wellies and Wellness. Alongside hosting community events and highlighting mental health in young people, he plans to meet people living on estates throughout Pembrokeshire, across Wales and around the UK.
His walk-around documentaries aim to give residents space to discuss their experiences, exploring both the challenges communities face and the stories behind places often defined by their reputation.
In Monkton, that means returning to familiar streets and asking what has changed.
“There’s a big stigma about Monkton from the outside world,” Danny says at the beginning of the programme.
His conversations with residents reveal concerns about discarded needles, antisocial behaviour, rubbish and a lack of suitable places for children to play.
When Danny tells Cllr Grimes that residents feel Monkton is being overlooked, the councillor replies: “Yeah, I believe it is as well.”
He adds: “I would love to see a lot more money being pumped into Monkton.”
But Danny presses him on what is being done now.
One tense exchange centres on three-weekly rubbish collections, with Danny questioning whether three black bags are sufficient for larger families.
“Three bin bags is not enough for three weeks,” he says.
Cllr Grimes attributes the collection frequency to financial pressures on Pembrokeshire County Council.
“They’ve put it back to three weeks instead of two weeks because it’s cheaper in the long run,” he says.
Later in the interview, his criticism of spending on a bridge and car park brings council priorities into focus.
“When they spend £6 million on a bridge,” he says, before also questioning money spent on a car park.
Danny responds that the money “could have went everywhere”, prompting Cllr Grimes to reply: “Yes, I agree.”
The councillor calls for council tax money to be spent properly and argues that residents deserve better-quality housing.
A proposed playground upgrade is another point of contention.
Residents interviewed favour a playground near the central ball court, arguing that it would be easier for younger children to reach and for surrounding families to supervise. Danny remembers the area being a busy gathering place during his childhood. “This is the heart of Monkton,” he says.
Seren, who runs the community centre, also supports a more central location, despite the existing park being close to the building she manages.
“I think it should be down the ball court, where the children play,” she says.
Interviewees fear that upgrading the more isolated park near the community centre could leave it vulnerable to vandalism. They also question whether younger children would be able to reach it independently because of the road they would need to cross.
Cllr Grimes says the county council has selected the existing park for improvement and that changing its location would be difficult.
“If we could get it moved, we would,” he tells Danny.
He also describes efforts to seek additional funding for the ball courts, alongside work on protective rubbish bags and possible CCTV to help tackle fly-tipping.
Despite the difficult conversations, the documentary also highlights community pride, children’s activities organised through the community centre and praise for the local primary school.
“It’s not as bad as what people make up,” one resident tells Danny.
That perspective runs throughout the programme. Residents describe problems they want addressed while also speaking about a community they value and want to see thrive.
For Danny, those conversations are personal. He returns as both a presenter asking difficult questions and someone who knows the estate from his own childhood.
As Wellies and Wellness takes this approach to other communities, Danny aims to hear directly from residents, highlight local efforts and bring greater attention to issues affecting families and young people.
Wellies and Wellness is now seeking sponsors for its upcoming walk-around documentaries. Businesses and organisations interested in supporting the series are invited to contact Danny Roberts through Wellies and Wellness to discuss sponsorship opportunities and help bring more communities’ stories to the screen.
