With the winter festivities now over, members of Tenby Town Council discussed the issue of the Christmas lighting in the town at their meeting on Tuesday night. It was revealed to members that the three-year lighting contract (erection and maintenance etc) expires this year, so the council agreed to put it out to tender for the next three years. It was also agreed that the lighting committee would meet to review the terms of the tender, which will include a review of the scheme at present - including St. Julian Street and whether other areas can be brought into the scheme. Meanwhile, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane told her colleagues that the council had received positive feedback following this year's extension of the illuminations, with many against the views expressed by the Tenby Walled Town Residents Association (TWTRA), who were unhappy with the lights being continued down further into St. Julian Street. "The response to the comments in these letters has been phenomenal," said Clr. Mrs. Lane. "I think most people are quite angry that TWTRA are speaking for a very, very small minority, while we, the town council, represent 5,000 people. "One of the questions asked by TWTRA was, who pays for the electricity? Well, the same people who covered the cost of the car parking spaces at the multi-storey car park for certain residents within the town walls during pedestrianisation at the height of our tourist season. And what happened? They were left mostly unused, summer after summer. And the same people who covered the cost of hearings, meetings and appeals called for by TWTRA. "I think that the time has come for Mr. and Mrs. Walker of the association to admit that they made a huge mistake when they moved into the centre of a vibrant seaside resort," continued Clr. Mrs. Lane. "I'm sure there must be some rural location somewhere out there that would suit them better. "We are proud of our town and we like our town to be attractive, especially at Christmas; that is why we like the festive lights," she added.
