With town councillors in Tenby set to meet with Pembrokeshire County Council representatives early next year over the ‘neglect’ of Castle Hill - one local county councillor has asked members to considering coughing-up for a spruce-up.

Renewed calls were raised over Tenby’s iconic Castle Hill recently at a meeting of Tenby Town Council, with Cllr Laura Crockford telling her colleagues that the once picturesque location had been left to ‘fall into ruin’ due to decades of neglect by the Local Authority.

County councillor for the town’s south ward, Cllr. Skyrme-Blackhall suggested that, unfortunately PCC did not have the finances to carry out any improvements at the location, adding that perhaps TTC needed to look at different ways of getting such work done through volunteers.

At this month’s meeting, members heard that PCC’s Public Realm Manager Marc Owen, and Environmental Services Operational Manager Neil McCarthy had agreed to meet with TTC in February to discuss a way forward.

Now in correspondence sent to the Town Council’s clerk and financial officer Mr Andrew Davies, county councillor for neighbouring New Hedges and St Florence Cllr Rhys Jordan has asked if TTC’s reserves can be tucked into, to help finance such a project to carry out improvements at Castle Hill, rather than pass it off to PCC.

“As both a representative of the community and a precept payer, I believe it is important to seek clarity on the management of the council’s reserves and significant potential projects,” wrote Cllr Jordan, as a ‘concerned resident’.

“The most recent accounts indicate reserves of £320,600, with £186,081 allocated as earmarked reserves and £134,519 as general reserves.

“I would appreciate some general commentary around these reserves, specifically - the rationale behind the current reserve levels; how the amounts for earmarked reserves were decided; the council’s approach to maintaining an appropriate balance between general and earmarked reserves.”

Mr Davies’ response stated that ‘prudent financial management’ has ensured that, in another difficult budget setting process, he is able to propose to members that some unallocated reserves are able to be utilised to cushion the impact of expected increases in costs and to provide ongoing funding for services that are the responsibility of Pembrokeshire Council.

“All decisions made about these matters are considered initially at our Policy and Finance Committee and then subject to discussion and final decision by the full Council,” explained Mr Davies.

“Unallocated reserves are set in line with guidance and linked to operating costs and allocated reserves are project or work strand specific. Members do review those projects to ensure that spend is likely in the coming year.

“As you appreciate, we are bound by legislation to consider our budgets in December to enable us to submit a precept requirement to the County Council before the middle of January.

“All figures, including unearmarked reserves, are based on what we consider in December as to what our financial position will be at the end of the financial year. These naturally can be subject to change in the intervening four months,” he added.