A councillor has called a public meeting in response to numerous complaints after the council decided to ‘rewild’ a popular Haverfordwest beauty spot which is now attracting rough sleepers.
.jpg?width=209&height=140&crop=209:145,smart&quality=75)
Fortune’s Frolic, on the banks of the Western Cleddau near the Pembrokeshire County Council offices, is popular with local dog walkers and families. The tranquil grassy area marks the start of a circular walk from Haverfordwest town centre towards Higgons’ Well and St Ismael’s church. But Councillor Di Clements said she had received numerous complaints from local residents who say Fortune’s Frolic has become unusable. Some people have been using the spot for rough sleeping in their tents and human waste is being left in the site.
Cllr Clements, county councillor for Martletwy, represents constituents in nearby Uzmaston and said people had come to her asking why the grass had been allowed to get so long and the area left seemingly uncared for. She met with Uzmaston community council and PCC officers in June to discuss how the management arrangements of Fortune’s Frolic had changed and the future vision for the amenity area. Despite agreeing on the plans to reduce mowing to increase biodiversity, Cllr Clements said complaints were still being made.
She said: “It used to be a place where dog walkers and families would go for picnics but now the grass is so long, people avoid it. It’s such a shame. While I understand the statutory requirement of PCC to increase biodiversity, we now have a once well used amenity area being used less and less and attracting complaints.”
She is eager for local residents, the community council and PCC to reach an understanding and agreement on the future of Fortune’s Frolic and has arranged a meeting for September 2. Officers from PCC will be present at the site to explain why a change of approach to management of green amenity spaces is needed. There are plans to create an additional mowed area somewhere in the site to compensate for the rewilded area. But this has yet to be implemented. Furthermore, there are plans to plant additional wildflower plugs this autumn to give the site more of an initial boost of colour as well as tree planting to contribute towards natural succession of trees at the site.
Anyone interested can attend the meeting at Fortune’s Frolic on September 2 at 2pm. Meet just by the entrance. Contact Cllr Clements on 07918 745380 for further details.