The thirteen members of Pembrokeshire County Councils Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee have unanimously backed the decision of Cllr Paul Miller, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economic Development, to undertake further work aimed at assessing the potential for Pembrokeshire Council to acquire an interest in the Riverside Shopping Centre in Haverfordwest.

The Riverside Shopping Centre consists of 3 hectares of retail space and forms part of what Cllr Miller called ‘the nucleus’ of Haverfordwest Town Centre.

Speaking after the scrutiny meeting Cllr Miller said;

There is a still a long way to go on this element of the renewal of Haverfordwest Town Centre but I hope it's made one thing clear. This administration is serious about Economic Development and Regeneration and is willing to explore any and all options as we look to transform the fortunes of Haverfordwest and Pembrokeshire as as whole.

It’s must be obvious to anyone that Pembrokeshire’s economy needs support. The energy industry we’ve relied on in Pembrokeshire for as long as I’ve been alive can no longer sustain the county single handedly. Tourism, which on the face of it appears to be booming, has its limitations and even there we’ve seen a 5% real terms decline in spend over the last 10 years. Now, more than ever, young people are struggling to see how they make a future for themselves and their families in Pembrokeshire and we simply have to change that.

Pembrokeshire Council can no longer afford to be a bystander and I simply will not allow us to. Haverfordwest Town Centre is just one part of our comprehensive programme for intervention. Taken together with our ambitions for Pembroke South Quay, Withybush Food Park and the Fibre to the Premises Broadband Programme I will be announcing shortly we are determined to make a real and lasting difference.

Pembrokeshire County Council webcasts all it’s meeting and anyone interested can watch the scrutiny committee meeting here: https://pembrokeshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/420760