Fishguard and Goodwick Town Team has voted to dissolve itself after town councillors said that the collaborative group was a ‘waste of time, floundering and had lost its way’.

As previously reported in the Western Telegraph, Fishguard and Goodwick mayor, Jackie Stokes, had brought up the issue for discussion with councillors saying that there was a growing movement to dissolve the town team.

Cllr Stokes who was a member of the team, representing the town council, said that there were a lot of internal disagreements within the team, adding:

"It is a waste of time and I don't have time to waste."

The town team was set up in 2012 with members of the town and county councils, the community forum and the chamber of trade.

The initiative came following advice to UK Government from retail guru Mary Portas.

The Welsh Government awarded £1m to 20 towns round the country and Fishguard and Goodwick, as the most effective Town Team in Pembrokeshire received an additional £50,000 to spend.

However the team has now disbanded. It held a virtual meeting on January 20, with Cllr Myles Pepper proposing that the team ceased to exist. This was seconded by Cllr Pat Davies.

Cllr Pepper spoke about the great work that had been achieved through the town team, particularly when it received a town centre regeneration grant from Welsh Government. The £50,000 had been allocated to numerous local initiatives, he said, many of which are still bearing fruit.

He spoke about the energy in the town council, in particular the newly formed group on maintenance and regeneration, the several positive actions coming through the chamber of trade, the valuable work through Transition Bro Gwaun and the way that the community forum can bring together the several different local community organisations. He commended the work that Cllr Kevin Doolin is doing in forming the development trust for the twin towns.

In supporting the motion, the mayor, Cllr Jackie Stokes, referred to the work of the town council in communicating widely and encouraged everyone to follow its minutes, published on its website.

The meeting thanked Frances Chivers who had chaired the town team for the past 18 months, the county council’s regeneration department and Jeremy Martineau, the honorary secretary.