Concerned Rate Payers!

Darren Millar's letter has arrived through several letter boxes this morning, there have been a few letters objecting to the council plans, we'll publish all those we get a copy of...


I am writing in response to a letter recieved from AM Darren Millar inviting me to express my feelings regarding the issue of livestock on Bryn Euryn.

May i commence with letting you know i am firmly opposed to the plans on a number of levels. On a personal note i have grown up with the Bryn on my door step, as a child i would make dens, go sledging in winter and generally enjoy the freedom of having this natural reservation as a safe place to go with friends. I remember going for picnics and learning about its history with parents and going on walks and environmental lessons when i was a child in LLandrillo Junior school with the teachers. All of these experiences i would have liked my own children to have but i would obviously be concerned to allow them such freedom if unsupervised animals and restrictions were put in place. The reasons being danger to children from the animals if the animals became scared, danger to the animals by older less responsible children. I recall an incident in Mochdre where teenage children were responsible for the death of one pony. Finally of course who could go sledging on a field full of ponies with dangerous fencing to crash into and injure themselves on.

Areas to enjoy unspoilt by restrictions are limited in this area already. I have given thought to other places with such a range of history, wildlife and above all unresticted by policies or cattle (llandudno fields), sheep (penrhynside), ponies/donkeys (Llandudno), goats (Great Orme). I honestly can't think of anywhere!!

Now onto my daily enjoyment, walking my dog. Currently we are restricted in our walks to a choice of a lead walk or a free run of Bryn Euryn. The beach is restricted, a dog is not allowed on the beach in Rhos -on -sea. We are allowed on near Colwyn Bay, which without having a large amount of time on my hands i can only go to if i drive there. Which to me seems against what the council is working towards which is to help the environment. I understand the fencing will not only stop us using the field to enjoy the views whilst the dogs run but we can't even use the path as it is to run though the field. Ruining another walk as it will become restricted by leads and fear for the ponies, myself and my dog. The fence proposed is dangerous for the dogs as they do not always see the wires until tangled in it or impaled on it. I understand you are looking into providing training for us and our dogs, this however probably won't be required as the reason i go is to let him run there SAFELY. Which will not be possible with the bottom field as an allotment and the second field homing ponies, i will no longer be able to go there. I do not see how dog training will help the council as many bryn euryn users are not always from the area.

I feel the council are not listening, i rarely feel so strongly about an issue. I pay my council tax, i clean up after my dog (who will clean up the pony mess?), i am a professional working woman who enjoys seeing the views and having time out from the chaos of daily life on Bryn Euryn. I know if this goes a head people will not go there as much, the fences over time won't be maintained (fences there now have been reported following an injury to a dog and nothing was done), it is just a waste of public money on something the public who use the Bryn don't want.

In summary if the proposed plans go a head. It will be a sad day for the public who use the Bryn and for the future generations who will miss out on the experiences i was lucky enough to have.

Mrs C. Jones