A difference of opinion has arisen between a Pembrokeshire county councillor and the authority's leader concerning the possible future of a former Tenby hotel.

As recently reported, Clr. Michael Williams has called for the county council to undertake investigations into the compulsory purchase of the Royal Gatehouse Hotel - the scene of a huge Easter Bank Holiday inferno last year - and develop it for benefit of the community.

When he tabled the matter at a full council meeting, the council's deputy leader, Clr. John Allen-Mirehouse, responded by stating that the council had taken immediate action following the fire in March to make the building safe and had worked closely with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority on the matter.

With regard to further clearance of the site, Clr. Allen-Mirehouse stated that the National Park Authority were better placed to effect this by serving a Section 215 notice on the owner and occupier, as the county council's powers were limited to the 'Building Act'.

He also said that purchase of the site in theory was an option, but that such action would trigger a public inquiry and that perhaps it would be more appropriate for the National Park to seek a CPO (compulsory purchase order).

However, in a new twist this week, Clr. Williams now claims he was wrongly informed at the meeting.

In an email to the leader of the council, Clr. John Davies, Clr. Williams said: "When you answered my question to full council which was a request for the county council to investigate the possible compulsory purchase of the site, you replied that it was a matter for the planning authority, which is of course the Pembrokeshire National Park.

"I can only assume that the information that you had been furnished with was inadequately researched.

"The situation is that compulsory purchase can only be undertaken by a local authority.

"The National Park is not a local authority, so it follows that you were incorrect in your reply. I would also point out that the National Assembly has for a considerable time been encouraging local authorities to make more use of these powers."

He continued: "I would request that you look once again at the possibility, bearing in mind that it is not the responsibility of the planning authority, but clearly the responsibility of Pembrokeshire County Council who are in this instance the only body that could act on this matter."

Adding: "It is a matter of the utmost urgency as the entrance to the town centre is a scene of devastation, despite traders in the town paying extremely high business rates.

"The county council, which is seen locally as doing nothing, must act if the business fabric of Tenby is survive."

When contacted by the Observer about the matter, the leader responded: "It seems that Clr. Williams has been ill-advised.

"I have double-checked the legal advice given to me for full council and it remains the same. The National Park has compulsory purchase powers vested in it under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by the Environment Act 1995.'

Clr. Davies went on to say: "I have every sympathy with the townspeople and traders of Tenby with the situation in which they find themselves, but it is up to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority as a planning authority - the planning authority which is a body Clr. Williams is a member of - to take the steps it deems appropriate."

So what's Pembrokeshire Coast National Park's view on the matter.

Well in a statement, we were told: "The principal compulsory purchase powers for planning purposes are set out in Section 226 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. These powers are vested in the county council. 

"It is correct that a new Section 244A has been added to the Act whereby a National Park Authority can also be authorised by the Welsh Assembly Government to acquire land compulsorily for planning purposes. 

"But the county council's lead role in promoting the economic well-being of their area, and their funding for such purposes, indicate they should be regarded as the lead authority when considering whether this key site in the centre of Tenby should be the subject of compulsory purchase." 

Chairman of the National Park Authority, Clr. Simon Hancock, said: "The issue here is not that the National Park Authority does not have compulsory purchase powers, but that the county council also has such powers and in this instance the county council is the most appropriate authority to exercise them.

"The National Park Authority and the county council have taken a joint approach, working closely together, over the Gatehouse to date and the authority is keen to ensure this positive partnership continues.

"Discussions around the future of the site are on-going between officers of both authorities and the park authority remains very willing to work with the county council to resolve this particular situation should the need arise."