The Deputy Mayor of Tenby has made a call for a new group to be formed to replace the disbanded ‘Town Regeneration Team’ - so that organisations and residents from the town can work together on enhancing the resort.

Speaking at Tuesday night’s meeting of the town council, Deputy Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown told her fellow members that it would be worthwhile to form a new committee that could tap into the many groups and bodies around the area, as well as individual residents, to bring new ideas and skills towards projects for the town, with a similar set-up achieved in Fishguard.

“Since the ‘Regeneration Team’ stopped we need more, and not just talkers but doers as well - so we should endeavour to form a new totally independent committee, and not solely run by the town council, that presents the opportunity of representatives of the likes of the Round Table, Rotary, Lions, churches and charities of the town, as well as residents, to share their ideas and skills,” she said.

“The South Parade is an example of how we need to do something as a town to enhance the gateway into Tenby, which is often referred to as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Pembrokeshire, but that area is becoming a bit tarnished somewhat.

“We as a community need to do something - so if a group was formed, would you come is what I would ask residents?” she continued.

Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane felt that it was a good idea worth exploring, as the town council had fought for some years to try and get funding to improve areas such as the South Parade.

“We need people on board with skills that we haven’t necessarily got within the town council, to get things moving with funding bids etc,” she remarked.

Clr. Laurence Blackhall noted that the previous ‘Regeneration Team’ was set up by Pembrokeshire County Council, and was never a town council led group.

“It was intended to pull various bodies together and quite a bit of good work was done by that group, but we have lost contact with PCC officers that were supposed to support the scheme,” he stated.

Councillors discussed the fact that feasibility studies looking into work along the South Parade and also illuminating the town walls didn’t come cheap, and that some of the costings mentioned at around the £60,000 mark were not plausible.

“Pembrokeshire County Council own the South Parade and it’s wrong that it has been left the way it has for this amount of years - it’s their responsibility,” continued Clr. Mrs. Lane.

“I further suggest we write to PCC to hold a site meeting along the South Parade at this time of year, when the pavements and footways are not covered up with floral displays,” she said.

The Mayor, Clr. Tony Brown said that the area had become dangerous for pedestrians to walk along with ‘big holes’ in the middle of the pavements, whilst Clr. Blackhall pointed out that vehicles had now started parking along there, judging by the ‘great big tyre marks’ that had been left recently.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of setting up a new group.

“We need to push PCC to try and get something done along there. How many years has it been now!” added the Mayor.