Councillors in Tenby have asked for faster progress to be made on a project that would see the historic town walls illuminated.

Town councillors and representatives from Pembrokeshire County Council and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, have held discussions in recent months where the possibilities of enhancing the South Parade were discussed, with PCC’s regeneration manager, Sinead Henehan, stating that the lighting of the walls had been seen as a priority project by the Town Regeneration Team and that the authority was keen to work with the town council to make the idea a reality.

At Tuesday night’s meeting of the town council the town clerk Andrew Davies said that he had been working on a ‘work’s tender’ and sent the draft to Ms Henehan, which needed to be checked through by Tenby’s ‘liaison link officer’ Richard Brown, who is also PCC’s head of environment and civil contingencies, and PCC’s head of highways and construction Darren Thomas before it could go forward.

Deputy Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown made it clear that she felt that the project was taking far too much time to progress.

“We discussed the lighting of the walls initially, then a committee was formed, which seems to have gone by the way side. We were told that we were the lead on it but why are we not getting the help we should be getting on securing funding?

“It needs someone from PCC to come to us with all this information on where the project is at and to sit around the table and tell us what’s what.

“I know PCC have got their problems, but so have we as a town council, and this proposal has been in the pipeline for the past year, and seems to have got nowhere.

“It gets embarrassing when members of the public keep asking you about it and we can’t give them an answer. We need to know what progress is being made, as this has been on our agenda a long time!” she continued, with the Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane agreeing.

“PCC seem to forget that they own the town walls, and they should be doing more to find funding to look after them and make the best of them. They are the ones with expertise, so why aren’t they doing more to help us.

“We have so many events here now in the town - wouldn’t it be great to be able to light up the town walls for events such as Ironman Wales,” she remarked.

The town clerk explained that when the project was initially touted, PCC suggested that the town council be the ‘driving force’ to lead the lighting scheme, but until a tender had been set then the project has been unable to move forward.

Clr. Paul Rapi suggested that a contingency from the town council head to County Hall to meet with cabinet member for planning and infrastructure, Clr. Phil Baker on the matter.

Councillors agreed that it was unfair that the town clerk had to struggle all the time to push for answers from PCC, when it was they who should be writing to them on the matter, with members agreeing that a meeting should be held this month to get an update on the project.