Cllr Jill Owens turns down Haverfordwest invite to Oberkirch

Deputy Mayor Jill Owens did not attend the trip to the ‘medieval city’ set deep in the Black Forest, saying she was ‘unhappy’ with the way council money was being spent.

Cllr Owens said she was unsure about what the trip does for the town.

“It seemed to be a lot of money for what does not seem to come back and benefit the town,” Cllr Owens told the Western Telegraph.

Happy times. Mayor Alan Buckfield with Deputy Mayor Jill Owens and Sheriff Helen Lewis

Located deep in the state of Western Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany, Oberkirch is known for its fine liqueurs and schnapps.

Haverfordwest Town Council went and sampled the town’s delights from September 1 to September 6 rekindling old friendships face-to-face post pandemic – travelling budget with Ryanair.

Haverfordwest Town Council in Oberkirch between September 1 and 6 (Image: JohnTSports)

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History. Haverfordwest Town Council with Oberkirch in 1989 (Image: JonTSports)

In 2019, Haverfordwest had celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of its twinning with the German town.

This summer's trip was mired in controversy, however, when, at a full council meeting on July 21, Cllr Owens openly questioned recent trips abroad after Mayor Alan Buckfield travelled to Oberkirch only as far back as April this year.

At the time Cllr Owens, who represents the town’s Priory Ward, questioned whether Mayor Buckfield had been officially invited to Oberkirch, which the council supplied expenses for.

“From my point of view this is a second visit in a short space of time and there is a lot of money going into this,” Cllr Owens said at the time.

However the deputy mayor’s concerns were swept aside as Cllr Richard Blacklaw-Jones proposed a motion to give the mayor a maximum £1,500 budget for the trip in September, which was seconded by Cllr Gareth Roberts, who reiterated the importance of maintaining relations with Oberkirch.

Included in representing Haverfordwest on the continent were council members and members of the twinning association including Roy and Shirley Thomas, Peter and Pat Lewis, Martin and Helen Lewis (current sherriff), Brian Griffiths, Jonathan Twigg, Angela Anderson, Rhys Evans, Juliet Raymond and of course Mayor Alan Buckfield.

Having fun with the locals at the famous wine festival (Image: JonTSports)

They were greeted on Thursday, September 1, by Johanna and Nicole who are officers for the Burgermeister (German for mayor) and by Katrina and Angela who were the host family.

But stuck at home in sleepy Haverfordwest was deputy mayor Owens who explained that from a business standpoint she felt the trip did not make a lot of sense.

“I am a businesswoman,” said Cllr Owens, “and I am always looking at cost versus benefit and to me I was not happy about it.”

Town councils are back in full swing with meetings arranged for this month. Go to your local town council website to see when the next meeting is.

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