Abergele councillors call for more say on regeneration

Jun 18 2009 by David Simister, North Wales Weekly News

COUNCILLORS in Abergele are worried they are missing out on meetings which could decide the town’s future regeneration.

Pensarn councillor Jean Stubbs says members of Abergele Town Council and other community bodies across the county weren’t being invited to sessions held to discuss how up to £75 million of Welsh Assembly money could be used to regenerate the area.

“Abergele Town Council is a democratically elected body which represents the community so we should play a bigger part in these decisions, and I’m quite angry that this doesn’t seem to be the case,” she told the Weekly News.

“At the moment, a lot of very important decisions about the area’s regeneration aren’t being reported to the rest of the community, and the council officers presiding over these meetings are supposed to be helping us.”

A strategic regeneration committee was set up by Conwy County Council following an announcement by WAG last October that it would be earmarking cash for redeveloping the Colwyn Bay and Rhyl areas.

At present the only town councillors invited to the meetings are those who also hold positions as county councillors.

“Some town councillors are disgruntled by their lack of involvement for Abergele. I have said in the past that I will ensure the town council is represented in the Strategic Regeneration Area,” said Pentre Mawr county councillor Sam Rowlands.

“As a county council we are in the very early stages of developing a board for the Abergele to Kinmel Bay region and I’ve specifically asked a number of times and I am ensured the town council will be represented on this board.”

david.simister