Narberth Future Forum's first year has been hailed a success.

In total, over 50 people have attended the various meetings and sub-committees, with their interests ranging from environmental to economic and waste management to events and festivals.

There has been much collective thought and interlinking of ideas about the various projects and how they can be advanced based on the Narberth Action Plan 2005.

Along the way, the forum has made contact and involved a cross-section of the community and has talked with Pembrokeshire County Council officials, has the support of the county councillor, and regular communication with Assembly Member, Mrs. Angela Burns.

"Our first success was the support we could give to enable 'Compost Corner' to become a reality at Stone Ditch Farm," reported chairman David Norcross at the forum's annual general meeting held recently.

"This is now fully functional and an independent enterprise for the benefit of the Narberth community."

Whilst there have been a number of other projects that have developed over 12 months, the last six have seen a focus on possible usage for the old Narberth CP School now that it has become surplus to the county council's requirements.

As previously reported by the Observer, a questionnaire initiated by the forum asking the community what they would wish to see happen to the old school, resulted in 220 questionnaires returned, with 250 individuals responding to the survey with their suggestions.

Armed with the results, members of the forum have met with county council and the council officials are well aware of what the residents of Narberth area would wish - to retain the building as a community facility.

After much research, the forum is also questioning the legitimacy of the county council to sell off the former playground, requesting them to seriously consider retaining it as open space for future generations.

The various sub-committees have met, focusing on their specialist interests, and hopefully the forum has given them the chance to meet with like interesting persons so that their future actions can be more co-ordinated and more likely to fulfill their desires.

Added Mr. Norcross: "The actions that have achieved positive results could only have done so with much work and effort by members and officials of the forum.

"Our thanks as a body must go to a number of people and organisations. The first must be to PLANED who facilitated all meetings, provided administration and posting facilities; and the second to secretary, Gordon Barry, who devised and oversaw the Narberth School survey. Also thanks must go to the vice-chair, Ivan Wilson, who has done much research with regards to the legal documents in respect of the transfer of land in relation to both the school and the playground. Without this research, the free legal advice given by Simon Mumford could not have been so helpful in our discussions with the county council.

"None of the work that has been carried out could have been achieved without the support of the community to empower the officials to speak on your behalf. However, there is still much to do, in fact, if this forum is going to be the influence we wish to be, and a facility to allow persons with like-minded community interests, then there is still much to be done to build on in this our second year of our existence."

Election

of Officers

It was proposed that the present officers be re-elected en bloc. This was passed by the meeting. The officers for 2008/9 are: chair - D. Norcross; vice-chair - I. Wilson; treasurer - S. Radford-Smith; secretary -G. Barry.