Amidst the furore over the potential closure of Tenby MIU and the proposed re-siting of the waste recycling facility to a site near the Brooklands Home, the threat to Tenby's library appears to have been overshadowed.

Relocating Tenby's Library came up at the Civic Society AGM in April and in a vote members present were unanimously opposed to the proposal. The reason given in the county council questionnaire seeking views on a possible relocation was that there was insufficient space for all the necessary library facilities at the present location.

The consultation period has long closed, but the council's head of cultural services, Mike Cavanagh, has kindly provided some results of that survey. Of 267 library users who responded, 47 per cent would use the library less if moved to a site at the Leisure Centre, 47 per cent would use it about the same and only 18 per cent would use it more.

The reasons given for using it less if moved is that it is too far from the centre of town, it is not safe to travel along Marsh Road and people with no car would only be able to get there by public transport.

It now appears the library will not move to the Leisure Centre, but to a site on Heywood Lane in September 2016 if Pembrokeshire County Council's cabinet agree on a recommendation to that effect on Monday, June 24. The idea appears to be that a new library will be provided as part of the building works connected with provision of a new Welsh-language school and to combine a public library with a school library for the two new primary schools, Welsh - and English speaking - in the 21st Century Schools Programme.

The major motivation for this new initiative is to encourage a reading habit amongst primary school pupils and this is a move that can only be applauded. Any proposal which improves children's future prospects must be supported. However, there still remain serious reservations about whether this is a reasonable method of achieving that aim.

Firstly, the consultation exercise was concerned with a move to the Leisure Centre, not to Heywood Lane. It appears the views of the majority of library users have been sidelined in favour of the financial needs of the Welsh Government driven education policy.

Secondly, there appears to be adequate under-utilised space in the Greenhill Centre for any expansion of library facilities as well as space for further building. If that is not available, there are more convenient sites in the town centre.

Thirdly, this second proposed edge of town site will be equally as if not more difficult to access on foot, especially for the elderly or children living in the town who constitute a significant number of those using the centrally located library at present. They would have to walk a considerable distance along the dangerous Heywood Lane with heavy traffic and in all weathers, or catch a bus. The alternative of using a car with increase traffic and put pressure on parking facilities at the schools site, already full with teachers' vehicles and mothers collecting and depositing children.

Finally, if the library is moved from the Greenhill site, it puts in jeopardy the economic viability of other activities on the site, for example the Day Centre, Youth facilities and Adult Education classes. It might be suggested that this proposal is the thin end of the wedge, making those other facilities unviable and moving them away, so the whole site can be sold for redevelopment, as has too often been rumoured. Certainly it seems to be common knowledge that the Community Learning Centre will move to Greenhill School. The listed building might be kept, but could then be gutted for new interiors like the county's former Guildhall and Glendower buildings.