Pembroke town councillors were told of a “constant stench” coming from the Pembroke Mill Pond in an update at the latest town council meeting.

Councillor Mel Phillips started updating councillors by reading out a letter from a resident.

The letter said: “My God, I have just been to visit the Millpond – what a disgusting state it is in.

“The council or whoever is responsible for this body of water should be ashamed of themselves. The place was stinking and items of rubbish were floating on the water, Surely it would not take much effort to dredge the place of all the filth and other build up?”

The writer of the letter added: “I feel so sorry for the poor people who have to put up with the constant stench coming out of it. It used to be a pleasure to walk along the pond, but no longer. It has become nothing more than stagnant body of filthy water.”

The town clerk, Suzie Thomas, told the councillors that the water level in the pond had been dropped so that Pembrokeshire County Council could carry out works on the sluice gate.

Ms Thomas said she had asked how the pond would be refilled and was told the options was to wait for it to refill with rainwater or with tidal water, but there were issues with the latter option.

“They did say that if it was okay with everybody, that is not just Pembrokeshire County Council but the Crown Estates and Natural Resources Wales, he could fill it up with tidal water. If we so wish he was quite happy to do that, but obviously we would have to get permission from all the relevant authorities.”

Ms Thomas told the council that since the water dropped, the extent of the build up of algae on the pond was more apparent, saying “it will take quite a bit of removal.”

The town clerk said she had approached Valero to see if they could in someway help with the Mill Pond, asking for a boom and to see if the volunteer group might be able to help clear the pond.

Cllr Dennis Evans said the town council had spent a great deal of time trying to work out who owned the pond and the county council had lowered the water without speaking to anyone.

He said: “It just seems to me that they have lowered the water in the pond without consulting anybody. I was wondering if that is the case we could go in there and do what we want as well.”

The mayor, Cllr Gareth Jones said it was important they went about things the right way.

Cllr Jon Nutting said he was of the opinion the council had agreed to return the pond to tidal at the last town council meeting.

The councillor was informed that while the council had agreed to return the pond to tidal they subsequently found out they did not have the necessary power to do so.

The mayor added it was clear that the council needed to hold another meeting.