Sir, 

The residents of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park should be aware that our Stalinist neighbour, the county council, is mounting a concerted campaign to take over, what is the jewel in the crown of West Wales.

The reason, as expressed by the council leader, John Davies, is the threat posed to local government of financial constraints in the future.

This in itself is ironic when one realises that PCC, one of the smaller authorities in Wales, pays its top staff on a par with Cardiff, one of the largest.

In a recent publication, John Davies informs us that he wrote to the Minister recently advocating the taking over of planning responsibilities by the county council.

What he fails to tell us is that the Minister turned this down flat, stating that the planning function is a vital ingredient of National Park Authority duties.

Clr. Davies argues that a return to local government as it was pre 1996 should be selectively adopted, with the National Park becoming a semi autonomous body offering advice within the council.

Why not then go the whole way and cut the number of county councils, with their bloated bureaucracies to what they then were?

In Pembrokeshire, four senior officers are paid between £100,000 and £149,000 and one between £150,000 and £199,999. On top of this, the top earner is paid extra to oversee elections for Europe, Westminster, The National Assembly and local.

I well remember that just prior to 1996 some English councils were asking if they any longer needed chief executives at all!

As a member of both authorities, I can appreciate the democracy that is practiced within the Park committees, in stark contrast to the county council where democracy is as good as dead.

Of course, John Davies has no understanding, not having any experience or knowledge prior to the creation of the so-called cabinet system in which he naturally thrives.

Even more frightening was the statement made recently by Clr. Robin Evans, of Newport, that the CEO of the county council could take over as the CEO of the National Park. He informed members that this had already been discussed! I can only assume that this discussion took place within his own political party which masquerades as 'Independents'.

Living within the treasure that is our National Park must resemble the feelings of the residents of the Baltic States when they had the Soviet Bear next door!

 

Michael Williams,

Tenby.