A local county councillor and former Royal Mail worker has criticised Pembrokeshire County Council for issuing what he claims is a ‘misleading’ statement regarding potential postal disruptions over the weekend of a sporting event taking place in and around Tenby this summer.

County councillor Jon Preston who represents Penally and St. Mary Out Liberty wards and previously worked as an operational manager at Royal Mail has written to the Authority’s chief executive Ian Westley with his concerns over how postal delivery and collection services will be ‘significantly’ disrupted during the Wales Sportive cycling stage, held on Saturday, July 6, as part of the Long Course Weekend, with road closures in place for the first time at the event this year.

Despite praising such local sporting events for creating a ‘special kind of atmosphere’ locally and promoting Pembrokeshire in a positive way, Clr. Preston has stated that the public need to be fully consulted on road closures for these events.

County councillor for Tenby’s North Ward, Clr. Michael Williams flagged up the matter recently after being contacted over concerns regarding the postal delivery service for July 6, with the complainant claiming that it was evident that there would be large areas of the county that will not receive a postal service that day due to the multiple road closures in place, leading to a spokesperson for PCC stating: “As the local authority, we require the event organisers to engage with the Royal Mail to address any concerns the local community, including businesses, may have. This engagement is currently ongoing.”

In his correspondence to Mr. Westley, Clr. Preston stated: “I am concerned that despite my raising of a legitimate point regarding planned road closures during the Long Course Weekend 2019, I note that the local authority has issued a quite misleading statement giving ‘assurance’ that postal deliveries will ‘not be disrupted’ during the Long Course weekend.

“Having worked as an operational manager at Royal Mail with over 17 years experience and having had regular conversations with the local CWU (Communication Workers Union) representative I believe I can speak with some authority and say that this will not be the case.

“Delivery and collection services are likely to be significantly disrupted due to PCC facilitating these closures. I am informed that postal workers will not be entering ANY closed road whether in a vehicle or on foot.

“This is due to the guidance given by the Communication Workers Union to quite rightly protect the health and safety of their members and that of the event participants.

“The practical and financial implications of this may be far reaching with delays inward and outward of county exceeding 48 hours. I think it is in the public interest that this is made clear.

“I expect Royal Mail to issue a statement in regard to their position in due course,” continued Clr. Preston.

Activity Wales’ Matthew Evans, CEO of the Long Course Weekend recently commented: “We have been in touch with Royal Mail and are working alongside them regarding timings and they are fully aware of the plans for the day.

“We have been working closely with the county council and those town councils that have accepted meetings. Off the back of these we have now managed to work around areas where there were opportunities to do so and we hope to have Tenby pretty much open by lunchtime.

“However, I must also stress that Tenby is operating a one way system, so access to a lot of areas is and will be possible throughout the event,” he added.

Speaking to the Observer, Clr. Preston said: “I would like to make one thing perfectly clear, I am in full support of these type of events.

“They create a special kind of atmosphere locally and promote Pembrokeshire in the most positive way, and I have always sought to defend any negative feedback that I receive from constituents in the ward that I represent.

“However, we rely on the continued public support of the locality to ensure these events are supported and that the wider community is made fully aware of any impact Saturday road closures may have on public or private services.

“Business and residential customers may or may not be willing to accept this service disruption, but unless they are made fully aware of the possibilities which exist they are not being fully consulted with,” he added.