Sir,

Complaint about a Town Councillor.

At about 10.15 am today, Monday, May 23, my wife and I were walking along Sargeants Lane towards St. Julian’s Street, Tenby. Ahead of us was a tall, slim man with a slight stoop wearing a brown jumper. With him was a small white and pale brown dog, which he had on a lead. We followed him turning right into St Julian’s Street.

I next saw this man stationary by a rubbish bin outside Charles Birt’s premises. The dog defecated on the pavement beside the bin and the man and dog walked away. I called to the man, telling him that the dog had defecated and it needed picking up. He stopped, turned around and said words to the effect “It’s not worth picking up” (the faeces were small and unformed) “it will soon dry”, obviously aware of what the dog had done. He made no attempt to remove it.

My wife offered him a tissue which he took. It was at this point I thought I recognised him as Counciller Rossiter of Tenby Town Council. He was well-tanned and had grey hair and was of mature years. I told him it was a disgrace and there was an exchange regarding whether or not we were ‘local’. He stated that he had been born in Tenby. I said “And I bet you are a Town Councillor!” to which he replied “Yes”. I asked him if his name was Rossiter, which he refused to confirm.

We then started to move on up the road towards Tudor Square and he went back, wiped up the faeces, put the tissue in the adjacent bin and then crossed the road. I returned to verify his actions and saw that it had been partially removed.

I wanted confirmation of his identity and met two people who worked locally. I pointed out the man to them, who was by this time entering Cob Lane. They confirmed his identity as Councillor Rossiter. He was obviously aware of my actions because he turned fully around and gestured with two fingers at me, an action which he could have been arrested for if a police officer had been present. I was disgusted and incensed by this man’s behaviour. This is not the kind of attitude and behaviour one expects from someone in an elected position.

Shortly afterwards, I saw the Town Clerk in Tudor Square and informed him of the incident. He asked me to put it in writing and the matter would be investigated.

Anyone who knowingly flouts local regulations and is abusive to the general public should not be holding public office. Sadly, if this is representative of the calibre of Tenby Town Councillors, it is no wonder that the council is held in such low esteem.

Michael Hickling (Retired Police Officer),

East Williamston

*Response from Clr. Will Rossiter

In replying to Mr. Hickling’s complaint, I would like to say how sorry I am that I have been a cause of disappointment to this council, and that a citizen has had cause to be ‘disgusted and incensed’ by the action of a Tenby councillor. The incident has left me feeling embarrassed and compromised.

The events are broadly as described. My dog is trained to use a rubbish bin as a toilet point and I always keep a supply of doggie bags. In this instance my dog had left a minute liquid deposit no bigger than an old penny and twice as thick. I ignored it as I reckoned it would be dry in no time.

It was my presumption of its innocuousness that led to Mr. Hickling upbraiding me in the street.

As an ex-policeman he was forthright that heading to ‘pick up’, which I did with a tissue pro-offered by his wife. It was ‘partially removed’ in the sense that it smeared the pavement.

That would have been an end to the matter, except he wished to identify me as a local and then said I was Mr. Rossiter, I felt no need to reply.

As I left the scene to go down Cobb Lane, I heard him shouting, ‘Is that Rossiter. Is that Clr. Rossiter’ from the doorway of the estate agent.

I felt quite intimidated by his voice and actions, and went on my way with a farewell wave - which he interpreted as two fingers. However, as I have half a middle finger missing, he was obviously mistaken.

I am happy that Mr. Hickling pulled me up for an infraction of the dog fouling bylaw. Grateful even that a civic-minded member of the public did what we as a council advocate as necessary in the campaign to eradicate dog mess in the town.

As you all know, I have been vociferous in trying to deal with the problem; therefore dually embarrassed.

I apologise again to the council for this incident and hope that Mr. Hickling will forgive me and any subsequent misunderstandings.