“Does anyone care?” about neglect of towns and communities across Pembrokeshire, a Tenby county councillor has asked the Local Authority, imploring PCC’s leader and assistant chief executive that it is time that they got serious about funding basic public services, highlighting a lack of response from the authority to matters of an ‘ever-widening area’.
County councillor for the seaside town’s North Ward Cllr Michael Williams’ correspondence to PCC leader David Simpson and assistant CEO Richard Brown suggests that if the Local Authority doesn’t start delivering then, the implementation of the ‘Williams Commission’ (The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales established by the Welsh Government) should be considered.
“I write to you in utter despair, as the situation in Tenby due to the ongoing neglect of Pembrokeshire County Council is becoming serious,” stated Cllr Williams in his correspondence.
“To get the most basic repairs and servicing carried out is becoming extremely difficult, there is something seriously wrong with the way the authority is responding to matters over an ever-widening area.
“The streets are frequently littered with household refuse, due it has to be admitted to irresponsible owners of holiday lets, compounded by the limited ability of the Local Authority to respond.
“It is impossible to get street furniture repaired or replaced, in a major holiday resort where our visitors have a right to expect to be able to sit and rest on properly maintained clean public seats, something that is becoming ever more difficult.
“Despite my continual pursuing of various departments about temporary fencing littering public areas, since well before the summer season, we still have this awful plastic temporary fencing on Castle Hill, one of the most attractive parts of the area. As well as being aesthetically awful, the situation on the cliff edge is dangerous,” he continued.
Continued calls for the Prince Albert memorial statue that stands nearby to be given a good wash, have also seemingly been put on the back-burner.
Cllr Williams said that he had reported three times over several weeks a ‘serious safety concern’ with loose dangerous concrete slabs on the public shelter in Paxtons gardens, that could easily slip off the roof and ‘seriously injure someone’.
He said that refuse collection last Monday (June 26) appeared to have failed in certain areas of the town, in particular Heywood Court, where grey bags were left behind causing a huge mess in the estate, and despite phone calls from tenants, at 3 pm the Wednesday after, the refuse bags still remained.
“With the threat of the removal of a basic service, such as public conveniences, we rapidly resemble a third world country; and in Tenby, we appear to fail to deliver the most basic public services, and this is the responsibility of Pembrokeshire County Council,” remarked Cllr Williams.
“The town centre, for disabled and some elderly residents and visitors, resembles a type of cruel slalom course devised and created to make life often near impossible for many.
“A-Frames and various advertising placed in a way which makes life extremely difficult for disabled people, together with deplorably uneven and unsafe footpaths. This makes everyday life extremely difficult if not dangerous for many.
“We have a unique harbour area which is seriously neglected and starved of investment. Apart from one half-baked idea to improve the sluice area, Tenby harbour is a becoming daily more derelict, despite the heroic efforts of our excellent harbour staff.
“This area is truly priceless, the majority being Grade 2 listed. Indeed, my understanding is that it is a serious offence not to conserve listed buildings.
“Does anyone care? I had a far superior response from Dyfed and South Pembs councils that I get now. It’s time that PCC got serious about funding basic public services.
“In Tenby we pay high levels of Council tax , for this we have a right to expect a decent level of services, something we certainly don't currently receive.
“If the current Local Authorities are unable to deliver, then we should seek the implementation of the Williams Commission, and the sooner the better.
“Abolish the current toothless talking shops that are town and community councils, which appear to cost a considerable amount of taxpayers’ money, delivering little if anything, and devolve real power and funding to local community authorities with real powers.
“It’s time the 22 turkeys in Wales voted for Christmas!” added Cllr Williams.
Tenby Town councillor Cllr Paul Rapi said recently: “It’s simple things, that bring the town down!” highlighting that parts of the town looked ‘pretty grim’ to his fellow councillors.
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