AMMANFORD town councillors are inviting townspeople to have their say in the setting of the town precept at a public meeting next month.

The move is a result of Carmarthenshire County Council’s asset-transfer programme which will give town and community councils the option of taking responsibility for public facilities such as parks, playing fields and public toilets.

“I’m getting concerned at what the county council are throwing at us,” Cllr Wendy Evans told colleagues.

“It’s about time we get feedback from people in Ammanford – we cannot raise the precept through the roof.

“I just don’t think 15 people can decide on something that important. I would like to have a public meeting.”

Cllr Emma Thomas said she had attended a county council budget forum and it was “frightening”what cutbacks would be going ahead.

“Ammanford is going to be particularly hard-hit – we’re going to lose a lot of services and it’ll affect everybody.”

Town mayor Irena Hopkins claimed many people were too proud to admit they couldn’t pay their bills: “Welsh people don’t like to owe money and there are a lot of people out there in dire straits," she said.

"And to think this is all going on in 2013 when technology was supposed to be making things better for everyone.”

Members decided that the meeting – to discuss asset transfers, sporting facilities and the town precept – would be held in the Pensioners Hall on Monday, January 6, at 7pm.