Pembrokeshire County Council were accused of turning Tenby's Jubilee play area into 'Bosnia' in a bid to 'blackmail' the town council into taking over the financial responsibility for its upkeep this week.

The state of the play area overlooking the South Beach was raised at Tuesday night's meeting of the town council.

"I have had a massive deputation from young mothers in the town greatly concerned about the condition of the Jubilee," Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas informed fellow councillors.

"I contacted Pembrokeshire County Council and I must admit I was greatly impressed with the quick response, with Mr. Roger Barratt-Evans contacting me directly informing me that the county council were in the process of 'tidying the area up'," she continued.

However, Clr. Mrs. Thomas revealed that a county council proposal last year that 'all new play areas will be the maintenance and ownership responsibility of community organisations, with the long term aim of encouraging community organisations to take over the maintenance and ownership responsibility of all existing play areas' had now been adopted as policy.

"We rejected the proposal, but it has been adopted, which means that the county council no longer has any responsibility for equipment in play areas as it deteriorates and gets damaged," Clr. Mrs. Thomas said.

"Mr. Barratt-Evans said that he would welcome a meeting with us to discuss the situation and points out that we could get grant aid for new equipment - although this would require match-funding from us.

"We should meet with him as a matter of urgency," she stressed. "As this county council policy seems to be happening anyway, it is important we get the matter resolved for the sake of the town's children and visitors.

"We should approach the meeting without prejudice, we should not accept anything, but we need to keep our options open.

"I had hoped the county council would have kept looking after us, but it looks like this is not going to happen."

"It's not just the Jubilee that this policy affects, but all four of the town's other play areas too," pointed out the Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Maureen Ward.

"I agree," said Clr. Mrs. Thomas. "It was just that the Jubilee seems to have generated the most concern so far."

"I think it's blackmail on the part of the county council," opined Clr. Miss Lis James.

"We told the county council that we could not afford to take on the cost of the upkeep of our play areas, so they seem content to turn the Jubilee into Bosnia to give us no choice but to take over its upkeep.

"I don't see why the people of the town should have to pay extra for the play areas.

"There are five play areas. Do we have to choose which play areas we can afford to keep? This would split the town."

Clr. Trevor Hallett agreed.

"It's a damned disgrace," he said. "They're not reducing our rates. What is happening to all the money they're saving by not looking after play areas.

"What are they doing with our money, all their services seem to be deteriorating!"

"The Jubilee is one of our more popular play areas," said Clr. Mickey Folland. "I thought originally that we would only be expected to pay for the setting up and upkeep of new play areas.

"To re-equip the Jubilee would cost around £45,000, with the equipment lasting between 10 and 12 years.

"We would have to find five lots of £45,000 every 10 to 12 years to re-equip all our play areas.

"We are strapped for cash. We as a town council are not capped, like the county council, but there is only so much we can take from the electorate. We would have to put about £20,000 on our precept every year to cover the costs."

"The county council are not suggesting that town councils takeover play areas; they are looking to things like residents associations," said Clr. Mrs. Thomas. "We need to keep our options open. We cannot allow our play areas to degenerate any further, particularly the Jubilee. I can't believe the county council would spend all that money on enhancing the South Beach car park and have such an eyesore overlooking it."

"All the community councils in Pembrokeshire said that they did not want the introduction of this policy, but the county council have ridden roughshod over their views," added Clr. Miss James.

"The county council argue that the funding for play areas has been taken off them by the National Assembly, but they can find so much money for so many less needed things, surely they can do something," added Clr. Mrs. Ward.

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council denied that the policy had been adopted by the county council, however.

"As far as the Jubilee play area goes, the equipment was supplied by an American manufacturer who has since gone out of business," the spokesman continued.

"As such we have had difficulty in obtaining spares, but the county council fully intends to replace the damaged equipment and are now in the process of doing so.

"Delays have been caused by the poor weather but, with better weather now, things should get back on track and everything will soon look rosy again."