Sir,

With reference to the council austerity measures regarding Pembrokeshire council staff pay cuts, the closure of 28 public toilets and weekly refuse collections facing the axe, I agree some cutbacks need to be made in these financially testing times, but then Pembrokeshire County Council announce that they intend to proceed with the planning application to site a £2.5million civic amenity and recycling centre.

Although the project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, it is not clear to what extent the Welsh government is subsidising the project, with the council having to fund the balance from public money which, a) we clearly can't afford and b) the public outcry against the re-location.

The current facility situated in Tenby is quoted as 'unsustainable, but what is this based on? As a regular user of the centre, it appears totally sustainable, as it deals with everyday waste in an efficient and safe manner, it's present location works perfectly well, the staff are very helpful and the area is always clean and tidy where parking is never an issue and it's situated out of sight and in an environmentally acceptable site.

It appears to me that the council are trying to push through a totally impractical and unnecessary project in this tough economic climate when funding could be better invested with the current issues and cutbacks we are facing.

I believe the council should listen to the Pembrokeshire people who voted them in and who oppose this planning application of the recycling centre adjacent to the Brooklands Nursing Home on a very busy road and the main artery into a popular tourism area and use any available funding in a more useful and more efficient way.

Hopefully the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park will acknowledge the detrimental effect the proposed relocation will have to the area and the residents and decline the application.

Martin Cunningham,