Residents of Dafen were last week leafleted by Plaid Cymru to inform them that they’re beloved park was up for sale.
The leaflet said:
Urgent News, County Council selling Dafen park!
The Western Mail of June 27th 2013 (Page 41) confirms that Carmarthenshire County Council’s ruling Labour/Independent Coalition of which of which Dafen’s Labour County Councillor Tegwen Devichand is Deputy Leader is going to sell Dafen park.
The people of Dafen will lose their park!
This action breaches Carmarthenshire County Council’s own policy of retaining what remains of the county’s parks and green spaces for recreational purposes.
Plaid Cymru is amazed, dismayed and totally opposed to Dafen park being sold.
We appeal to local people who share our views to object to this deplorable development to write to:
It then goes on to say to the Head of Resources, gives the address and mentions that objections must reach the council by 17th July.
The leaflets caused a lot of concern in Dafen and on social media platforms. Our local correspondent, Keith Evans spoke to two concerned residents, one said:
“I have 2 young children, where am I going to take them to play?”
“The park is at the end of the street, it stops them from risking a ball hitting a car within the street.”
Whilst the other said:
“iif they sell the park I think we will lose the cricket pitch, the football pitch and also what will happen to the community centre and Christmas carnival in Dafen?”
“The park is used by a lot of people, I don’t think we can risk losing such a highly used park!”
However the Council insist that Dafen park is not for sale. A press release they issued, categorically denies any sale and says that they are only leasing part of the park to the Cricket Club. Here is the press release in full:
Council have no proposals to sell Dafen Park
LEASING a small section of Dafen Park to Dafen Cricket Club has been misconstrued by Plaid Cymru as a bid to sell the park.
Publicity the party generated has caused a great deal of concern on social media sites and angered residents.
The day after the publication of public notice in the Western Mail, Plaid Cymru sent out flyers to Dafen Residents warning that they will lose Dafen Park with the heading proclaiming “ Urgent News….County Council Selling Dafen Park.”
The council said the park was not for sale.
Carmarthenshire council’s head of corporate property Jonathan Fearn responded immediately following complaints saying the claims were completely inaccurate.
He said: “The notice refers to “disposal”, not sale, and the Act requires us to notify the public of disposals by lease as well as the freehold sale of land defined as ‘open space.’
“In the case of Dafen Park the Council plans to lease an area of the park to Dafen Welfare Cricket Club to facilitate the drawing down of grants to improve sports facilities.
“There is no proposal to sell any part of the Park.”
A spokesman for the council said they had to spend a lot of time correcting the misinformation that had been posted on websites, Facebook and Twitter.
Retweets and additional comments have proved to be one of the most active social media engagements by the council.
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