Sir,
I would like to take this opportunity to provide my comment on the picture which appeared in your paper on September 8, regarding the appearance of First Minister Rhodri Morgan and AM Christine Gwyther outside Manorbier School viewing how the Welsh Assembly funds have actually been used under the Safe Routes to School funding scheme.
I was informed of the approved Welsh Office proposals in respect of this scheme when I became the local county councillor in 2004. The final constructed work bears no resemblance to the initially approved scheme that had received grant funding approval from the Welsh Assembly.
The original scheme was devised after a travel plan for the project was produced in conjunction with the school. Local children were expected to walk from as far as the Skrinkle Estate through the village, then routed around the castle and woods, up a long wooded drive, out on to a country lane, across a large open field, up a farm lane and then on to the main road between Jameston and Lydstep, before entering the existing school path.
This, of course, was only possible if you believed the school plan that suggested that organised walking buses would be formed to walk children approximately two miles each way to school. I was astonished that the Welsh Assembly, which is under the governance of Mr. Morgan and his party colleagues, was party to what would have been an outrageous waste of taxpayers' money.
When I was consulted by draughtsmen at Pembrokeshire County Council over the planned works, which at that stage had been approved by the Welsh Assembly, I was warned that if I was proposing any alterations to the project, they had to be careful because designating any parking areas would be frowned upon by the Welsh Assembly.
The funding for the project could be withdrawn, as it would not comply with the remit of the Safe Route to Schools initiative.
However, after discussion, it became apparent that major alterations to the original plans were essential and a parking area has now been constructed outside the school. The road adjacent to the school has also been widened which enables parents to park safely whilst dropping their children off at the school.
This was only possible after the adjacent landowner, Mrs. May, agreed to allow her land to be used for the road widening. The contribution of Mrs. May by generously donating the land at no charge was invaluable and without her co-operation the scheme could not have progressed to its current state.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank her both personally and on behalf of the community that I represent.
I would suggest to Mr. Morgan and his colleagues that in future, more care should be taken when using taxpayers' money to part fund projects to ensure that they are achievable and have an outcome that is useful and practical for the community, such as the scheme he has now viewed albeit for publicity purposes only.
Clr. Malcolm Calver, Manorbier.