A local councillor has insisted this week that there was no controversial reason for welcoming the South Pembrokeshire Hunt back into Tenby for a meet other than to provide a boost to the town's economy.
Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown told her colleagues at Tuesday evening's meeting of Tenby Town Council that she wanted to lay the matter to rest after the controversy the invite had caused.
"There was no other reasoning to offering a welcome back to the hunt other than to provide a boost to business in the town as part of the winter carnival festivities," said Clr. Mrs. Brown who originally made the proposal back in January.
"With another shop closing in White Lion Street this week, it has highlighted that businesses and shops in the town need everything they can get at the moment.
"I'm simply trying to help the town's economy by bringing events into Tenby and thought that the hunt meet would be an extra event at that time of the year that could provide a profit for businesses, as well as make the town more vibrant and colourful at the time of the Christmas festivities.
"The resolution to welcome the meet back was made last March and nobody living in Tenby objected at the time," she added.
At the council's previous meeting, Clr. Mrs. Trisha Putwain called for the invite to the South Pembs. Hunt who are due to appear in Tudor Square on Saturday, December 6, to be withdrawn, posing the question of whether the council wanted to project Tenby with a certain image, with so much of the population against what the hunt stands for.
However, the majority of councillors present at the meeting rebuffed the proposition and voted in favour of their original decision in welcoming the hunt to return.
Since Clr. Mrs. Putwain's remarks, the council had received a number of letters from people backing her views and calling for the meet to be cancelled.
Clr. Mike Thorne felt regrettable that their was no indication on the town council agenda at the previous meting of what stance Clr. Mrs. Putwain was going to take on the hunt topic.
"We all came into that whole debate very cold with no previous warning of whether Clr. Mrs. Putwain would be for or against the hunt meet or what she was going to propose to the council.
"May I suggest that such controversial items like that should be verified beforehand, which would allow councillors to talk to the town's people and members of the public to gauge their views before bringing the debate to the table," added Clr. Thorne.