Sir,

I was interested and amused to read your front-page article in the edition of July 8 on the demolition of Tenby Infants School. I wholeheartedly agree that the loss of a sound and well-designed building is a great shame. Firstly I am surprised that Clr. Williams is complaining only now about the demolition. He had ample opportunity three years ago to oppose the demolition plan and suggest the building be purchased for community use with a library, cinema and additional parking through a community interest company, especially as I understand he is on the National Park committee.

Clrs. Williams and Preston contradict each other, the one saying the school has to be demolished, the other that the demolition and creation of additional green space is only advisory. To clear up their confusion, it is part of the contract that the building be demolished and green space created.

Clr. Preston refers to the Social Activity Centre. Is he suggesting that it move to the Infants School? If so, what happens to the rest of the facilities on the Greenhill site? Are both councillors suggesting that all facilities at Greenhill be transferred, the Greenhill site be closed and sold off for housing?

Presumably that is so, as apparently no-one lives in the centre of Tenby during the winter and Heywood Lane is the new centre. This is news to myself and my permanent neighbours in the centre of Tenby. Perhaps Clr. Williams might like to consider confining his comments to his own North Ward or if not, consider the needs of all of Tenby, including the South Ward. This proposal, incidentally, also ignores the dangers of further increasing traffic levels on the already over-loaded Heywood Lane. Perhaps his North Ward electorate might like to consider the effect of this on their lives.

Clr. Williams believes Tenby Town Council should take the lead in supporting the two councillors’ idea as he states, as he has done on numerous previous occasions, that he is “a lone voice” crying in the wilderness. If he has been ineffective at County Hall, how does he think the town council with its limited powers and financial resources will be more so? Has he even informed them of this proposal? In fact the town council have already made favourable mention of a scheme for a community interest company to provide cinema, library and social activity services at the Greenhill site as Clr. Williams is well aware.

It would be easy to dismiss these suggestions as purely empty posturing prior to the County Council elections next year but for one thing. The Infant School is due to be demolished this summer. However, it may have a stay of execution if the new schools are not ready in time, in which case the Infant School would be retained temporarily. This will give the two councillors the opportunity to claim credit for keeping the school building intact.

Not many things annoy me, but this has.

David Tudor Thomas,

Tenby.