Sir,
The report on the front page of the Tenby Observer (October 22) appears to have generated some ill-informed and occasionally emotional responses which are quite irrelevant and I would appreciate the opportunity to clarify the issue.
The South Pembrokeshire Hunt wished to hold a meet of the hounds in Tudor Square and the Master of the Hunt, diplomatically, enquired if the Town Council would invite/support the meet. The Town Council has no legal authority to 'ban' the meet, but could choose not to invite/support the event.
The current legislation in respect of hunting is quite clear and a meet of the hounds is a lawful 'social activity' with a number of members of the public either as mounted followers, foot followers or mere spectators. At the meet held in Tudor Square last year, the spectacle was enjoyed by a larger number of people than there were protestors. Those persons who wished to enjoy the spectacle had as much right to do as did those who wished to protest in an orderly manner. I have no issue with either group.
However, this is a politically and emotionally sensitive issue and I felt that the Town Council should have approached it with greater perceptivity and attention to detail. The request from the Master was not on the published agenda and was raised under the 'Clerk's items' which provides for administrative matters.
The Mayor, however, decided, apparently in the interests of expediency, to allow a debate and decision on the request rather than allow the issue to be put on the agenda for the next council meeting. As a general practice, only items on the published agenda can be debated and a decision reached. If an issue, not on the agenda, is debated, any subsequent decision can be challenged in the courts and to date the courts have held such decisions to be unlawful/ultra vires. I, therefore, felt that the Mayor had been less than prudent in her course of action.
The councillor who proposed that the request be refused was at the forefront of the protestors last year and as such had I felt an 'interest' - either personal or prejudicial - to declare and her failure to so do prejudiced any debate or decision on the issue; a point that appears to have been ignored by the Mayor.
Consequently I raised these points with the council in the interests of justice and fair play for all parties. If anti-hunt protestors wished to hold a legal and orderly rally in Tudor Square, I would equally speak up for their request to be dealt with in an open, fair and just manner. The emotive issue of blood sports is quite irrelevant to the principles at issue in this instance.
John H. T. Griffiths,
Tenby.