The management committee of TENBY 2020 held its bi-monthly meeting recently with Chris Osborne in the chair and seven other members present. Graham Morris was welcomed to his first meeting of the committee, as the newly-elected chair of the traffic and transport working group.
It was reported that negotiations were still taking place on the Objective One bid for the Tenby Town Partnership and the De Valence Trust with the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO).
The amendments required by WEFO will mean some delay in launching the Partnership and the Trust, but an approval was still expected, eventually. As agreed at the AGM, a new company was to be formed, to be called Tenby Events Management.
Mike Thorne reported that in respect of the objections to the business park and supermarket development proposed at New Hedges, being pursued jointly with the Tenby Town Council and the Tenby Chamber of Trade and Tourism and others, a fghting fund had been set up. More money was needed, but a barrister and consultants had been appointed to prepare the case to be presented at the public inquiry on March 11. The inquiry is open to the public and all supporters would be welcome.
On the county council's pedestrianisation scheme, it was reported that there was still no news as to the county's intentions, and it was now probably too late to consult about a permanent scheme, and hold the necessary inquiry.
However, it was decided to welcome the council's improvement scheme for High Street and Tudor Square in principle, and to encourage the council to proceed with Phase 1 (at the top end of High Street) as planned this March.
It was reported that good progress was being made on the skateboard facility now being proposed, and a committee of interested young people would shortly be meeting the county council's responsible officer.
The traffic group were in the process of looking at traffic problems in Heywood Lane, and the schools were being contacted to share ideas about traffic management.
The next open meeting of TENBY 2020 will be held on Thursday, March 18, at 7.30 pm, in the De Valence. It was confirmed that Chris Noble, headteacher at Greenhill School, was able to talk on the emerging proposals for a community college on the existing school site. It was also suggested that they ask Roger Barrett-Evans and Ian Westley (PCC directors) to come to the meeting to talk about pedestrianisation and the enhancement scheme.