Sir, Marcia Sivell's letter in last week's Observer about the Trefloyne Lane development and the public meeting highlighted the potential problems with one planning application. However there is a much bigger issue at stake for Penally, Tenby and other nearby areas. If the reorganisation of local government proposed by the Welsh Government takes place, as seems very likely, then Pembrokeshire County Council may well disappear into much larger borough councils. How then are local concerns over, for example, planning and licensing issues to be heard? This has been a concern for Tenby Civic Society for some time. The society's overall aim is to preserve the local heritage and what makes the character of the local area one where people are attracted to settle and can continue to live and work. At the same time we aim to be responsive to the needs of business to maintain a vibrant and thriving community. The society is worried about how those forthcoming changes in Tenby and the surrounding area will affect its ability to be an effective champion to maintain that local heritage and continue to reflect residents' and communities' needs and concerns with any new regulatory bodies. We feel that we should act now to maintain the relationships we have built up and continue to be seen as a constructive and considered voice to reflect local opinion on issues affecting residents. We feel the only way to do that is to expand the Civic Society's area of involvement to cover this corner of South East Pembrokeshire as well as Tenby town itself. To do that however we need to have members of a society in all these areas, preferably active committee members. We therefore planned a series of possible public meetings throughout the area to gauge responses and possible interest. The first of those long-planned meetings will be held at Penally Village Hall on Tuesday, July 14, at 6.30 pm. We would be very grateful if Penally residents could attend and give their views. We are aiming to find out the following. 1. What concerns Penally residents have about the future of the village and the surrounding area, including Tenby. 2. To find out whether there is common ground between those concerns and those of Tenby Civic Society. 3. If so, should Tenby Civic Society aim to reflect the views of Penally residents on issues in its responses to local and county councils and planning authorities. 4. Finally, are Penally residents interested in becoming involved with the work of an expanded society as members or indeed, committee members.

David Tudor Thomas, Chairman, Tenby Civic Society.