Local county councillors are urging south-east Pembrokeshire residents to attend a public meeting on Monday over the future of the Tenby Library and Learning Centre.

Clrs. Michael Williams (Tenby North), Jonathan Preston (Penally) and Jacob Williams (East Williamston) say it’s vital that users of the building speak out and let the council know just how important this facility is for Tenby and the surrounding area.

The three, photographed outside County Hall, are due to attend a presentation to members by council officers at the authority’s Haverfordwest headquarters this (Friday) afternoon ahead of Monday night’s public meeting in Tenby.

Two separate public consultation meetings were held earlier in the summer over the future of the library and adult education classes, which, along with youth club, are services delivered at the town’s former grammar school in Greenhill Avenue.

The public consultation process followed a highly controversial decision taken by the county council’s cabinet earlier this year to close the learning centre from August 2016, without having undertaken any consultation whatsoever.

In February, Clr. Jacob Williams set about halting the cabinet’s decision and referred it to a council committee for further scrutiny. Clr. Preston co-signed Clr. Williams’s demand along with three other councillors.

Following further scrutiny of the cabinet’s decision, it was agreed that two other learning centres across the county - which were due to be closed down last month - would be given at least a year’s reprieve, and that further consultation would take place with the public in the interim over all planned closures.

Clr. Jacob Williams told the Observer: “For many years, the authorities have looked into relocating the library, but nowhere suitable has yet been found. It’s clear to me that the cabinet tried to slip in a decision to close Tenby’s learning centre - which uses the bulk of the building - hoping nobody would notice. If the learning centre closes, it’s obvious the library will be in jeopardy, so it’s vital that users express their feelings. The council has a ruthless streak and a lack of compassion, and I have no doubt that both the library and learning centre will be closed down and the listed building will be sold off to a hotel or housing developer if users don’t create holy hell.”

Clr. Preston said: “I understand cuts are coming and the way services are delivered are changing, but I’m adamant that the library needs to remain central. It is currently in a convenient location for its users. One proposal would see it relocated to the leisure centre site, but I don’t think that’s appropriate. It would also remove yet another important service away from the town which wouldn’t be fair.’

The public meeting, arranged by Pembrokeshire County Council, will be held in the main hall at Tenby’s Library and Learning Centre, at 7 pm on Monday, September 14.