PEOPLE power, with protests in the county and on the national stage, should be used to fight controversial proposals to introduce parking charges at West Angle Bay, a packed meeting heard.

Concerns have previously been raised after Pembrokeshire Coast National Park said it is going to start charging for parking at Angle Beach, which many feel will “kill” the village through a decline in tourism.

Locals have said that the land was donated under the condition that parking remains free.

A public meeting was held at Angle village hall last Thursday, October 18, with some 70 people attending.

The meeting heard parking charges were expected to generate some £20,000 a year for the park, but there are fears introduction would make Angle a “dead” village, with a decline in tourism.

A petition objecting to the changes has collected more than 3,000 signatures.

The meeting heard that some £71,000 had been spent on the car park over a 10-year period.

Chair of the community council Sian Williams said: “We’re without a shop, we’ve lost the school, we need things to keep the community thriving. If they did introduce charging there’s a lot of anecdotal feedback that people will stop coming.”

As well as giving the public a forum, Angle Community Council is seeking people’s views on a counter-suggestion to the charges suggested: the community council taking back the car park and its management through a community asset transfer.

Cllr Williams asked the meeting for its views on the suggestion, adding it would need the commitment of many volunteers: “It’s going to take a huge amount of commitment, we’ve got to ensure we’ve got a group set up; we’ve got to ensure it exists for our benefit, that it demonstrates good governance.”

Reverend Mike Breverton, Chaplain and Deputy Launch Authority at Angle lifeboat station, who had proposed an increase in council tax to cover costs, rather than paid parking said: “The problem with volunteers is it starts off brilliantly, and goes up and down the scale, and ends in failure.”

He added: “It strikes me they are just wanting to make an easy buck here; we can’t just take this hands-down, it’s disgraceful.

“We need to have a huge protest and get the TV and media in; we need more than a petition, we need to march and protest, shout and shout; it’s the only way you get heard with this lot.

“It’s disgraceful; they know it will have an effect on this community.

“It’s got to be seen far and wide, it’s got to be on The One Show; people from all over the UK come to this beach; what are they going to think about this?

“People will not come to Angle; we’ve lost so much in the last 10 years, this is the final nail in the coffin as far as I’m concerned.”

Lucia Collings, a member of the audience, to great applause, said: “If this is going to affect the economy of the village it’s also going to affect the value of your property, this is going to hit you in the pocket at some point. If it’s going to kill the village, it’s going to kill your property values. We’ve got to come together as a community and fight this hard.”

She alter added: “I think we need to show these local authorities that they can’t trample on the little man.”

Roger Harries, a community councillor from Amroth, which is also facing the introduction of parking charges, one of four communities facing a similar change, proposed the villages work together to fight the changes.

“We’ve in the same position as you; all four councils in this together need to get together as a strong body; between ourselves, ourselves and the other two councils, I think that would have a lot more say.

“They are trying to kill communities and we can’t allow that.”

A National Park Authority spokesman has previously said: “Plans to introduce charging at West Angle Bay were first discussed by Members of the Authority in November 2016 and were approved in principle in November 2017.

“Officers met with Angle Community Council earlier this year to discuss these plans and address any concerns raised.

“Before any charges are introduced, the Authority will need to work with the local highway authority to revise the Off-Street Parking Order.

"This process would include a formal public consultation period, which would be promoted via public notices, press releases and online.”