The following is a copy of an open letter to the Welsh First Minister, Carwyn Jones, from Penally ward County Councillor Jonathan Preston

Dear Mr. Jones,

I write to you on behalf of the people of the Penally ward and of Pembrokeshire as a whole.

Recent newspaper and social media reports have suggested that the first holding unit in Wales for up to one thousand asylum seekers and illegal immigrants (the largest facility of its kind in the United Kingdom) may be allocated to a small military base on the edge of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park at Penally.

Although I do not at this time believe that such a decision will be made to use the camp at Penally for this purpose, I do have a duty to seek accurate information.

I will not go into the logistical challenges or lack of facilities that would be encountered, or the impact that a decision such as this may have on the fragile tourist economy in this part of Pembrokeshire.

However, I do wish to ask you as the First Minister for Wales to establish the facts as a matter of urgency.

Wales and Pembrokeshire do have a part to play in supporting vulnerable families fleeing conflict, however this must be carried out with due care and attention to the unique communities in Pembrokeshire which could see their population trebled with two-thirds of the people in the village being accommodated in an area equating to around two percent of the village space.

This would not be practical or humane to those who will need acute medical and social care, nor would this be in the best interests of the local community in and around the small village of Penally.

I trust you will give this matter your immediate attention.

County Clr. Jonathan Preston,

Penally Ward - Pembrokeshire County Council.