Councillors in Tenby are to approach the Welsh Tourism Minister to try and help save the town’s Tourist Information Centre as fears grow for its future.

At a meeting held last week, where members of Tenby Town Council invited local stakeholders, guest house and business owners to the table, the town’s Mayor opened discussions by stating that previous meetings had agreed that the TIC should remain open, and now ways were needed to try and put in place the £45,000 funding required by ?embrokeshire ?ounty ?ouncil for the facility to remain open or it would close.

The town clerk, Andrew Davies, explained that if Tenby Town Council offered to meet the costs, then the TIC would be safe. However, this would have implications for local council tax payers. For example, with 2,881 charge payers, if TTC wanted to raise around £28,000, they would have to increase the precept by around £10 per Band D property.

Mr. Davies told the meeting that it had previously been suggested that the de?cit could be reduced if the opening hours of the facility were reduced, but it would need to be established a minimum that would be acceptable both to the town and ???.

He explained that, with ‘on-costs’, ??? had stated that the hourly rate for the full-time supervisor was £15.49 per hour, while the assistant was £11.15 per hour. This meant that for two staff to open for six hours a day, six days a week, the total wage bill would be £959.04 per week.

Therefore, to staff the facility with two staff members, for six hours a day for six days from May to September would be in the region of £22,000.

To have the facility open for six hours a day two days a week with one staff member from October to April would be roughly an additional £5,500; and to open the facility with one member of staff for six hours a day two days a week throughout the year would be roughly £9,600.

The question was asked as to how effective the small cafe type facility introduced was proving in providing additional income to date.

It was pointed out that there was no signage yet advertising the facility, but the Mayor, Clr. Tony Brown, said that he had learned that there was the possibility of an ice cream fridge and a soft drinks vending machine also being installed. The question was asked, however, as to whether this was the first thing you need upon your arrival in Tenby?

The Deputy Mayor, Clr. Christine Brown, said that ways needed to be found to fund the deficit or tourism information would end up being a ‘leaflet rack somewhere’ in the town if the TIC closed.

The Mayor suggested that a charge be levied on those who advertise through brochures at the TIC, stating that it was unfair that those producing the leaflets and those distributing them received an income, but those at the actual point of delivery to the public were not.

He suggested that with over 200 different companies/businesses advertising through the TIC (he had noted 130 brochures and 102 hotels and guesthouse information there when he paid a visit), a nominal fee of £50 per year would generate ? considerable income.

He was aware that some attractions gave free family entry tickets to hotels etc. for displaying the leaflets, so what would be different about paying the TIC a fee?

Selling tickets for attractions in advance on a booking fee basis could also generate income, he suggested.

Clr. Brown noted that businesses may not want to ‘pay to display’, but if they didn’t then the TIC could close and that information would not be getting out to the public anyway.

A local accommodation provider at the meeting noted that many of the guest houses were signed up to .com hotel sites for late booking of available rooms. These charged 20 per cent commission. Perhaps, with a slightly lower commission, then the old bed booking service could be offered by the TIC again, it was suggested.

It was pointed out at the meeting that customer services for the town allowing recycling bags and bins to be collected and also parking permits to be bought appeared to have ceased.

Following on from discussions, at Tuesday night’s meeting of the town council, a response on the TIC functioning as a customer service centre for the town was given by PCC’s head of procurement, Paul Ashley Jones, who stated that the authority had taken the decision to reduce the number of parking permits being issued there to simplify the current system for the staff as they began managing the café and the TIC element from the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. However, it would only affect residential parking permits.

“The car parking permits that are used by visitors are still available and we also retained the parking dispensations (used by contractors working on site in residential areas) and sometimes needed on the day for trades people working in residential homes,” he explained.

“The residential renewal permit process is no longer available as it was time consuming and customers were advised in their renewal letter to do this online and this is the message that staff are giving if any enquiries are received.

“With regard to the stocks of bins bags and caddies, since the redevelopment at the centre, the stocks of materials held have been reduced and the council’s website has been updated to reflect this change.

“Chargeable stocks of bags (Trade Waste Blue Bags, Trade Waste Clear Bags and Large Food Waste Bags) were withdrawn at the beginning of June, as were supplies of caddies and boxes, as there is simply no longer space to store the caddies/boxes in the centre due to reduced storage.

“The only bags currently supplied at the centre are orange bags and food waste bags which are still supplied and, as far as I am aware, this is in line with all other Libraries/Tourist Information Centres in the county,” added Mr. Ashley Jones.

The Deputy Mayor suggested writing to Visit Wales, and the town clerk said it would be worth approaching Welsh Tourism Minister Lord Elis-Thomas as well on the matter.

“We are the Jewel in the Crown of Pembrokeshire and need to support tourists with this facility,” said Clr. Mrs. Brown.