Ammanford Town Council has extended its public consultation regarding asset transfer at the eleventh hour ahead of the forthcoming deadline.

Councillors had originally called for a public meeting but the council have decided to take part in a public consultation through mailing questionnaires to residents within the town due to the short timescale.

At a council meeting held on March 13, a majority of the council agreed to send out letters to the electorate for their opinion regarding the forthcoming asset transfer.

Councillor Colin Evans warned fellow councillors that time is running out and that councils are going to purdah from next week, ahead of the election, and that in effect they have run out of time.

He reminded councillors that they have until March 31 to respond to Carmarthenshire County Council to take over the assets such as Ammanford recreational ground, Ammanford park and Pantyffynnon playing fields on a 99 year peppercorn rent lease or they could lose a 50 per cent grant.

The questionnaires were hand delivered to residents by councillors last week and asks five questions regarding the transfer of both lease and maintenance of the town's sports and communal facilities.

The deadline for responses from the questionnaires was originally set for March 17, but after a number of people expressed their disappointment, residents now have until this Friday, March 24 to get their views back to the Mayor's Parlour at Ammanford Town Hall and mayor Alex Smith is encouraging residents to take part in the public consultation exercise.

“We want to hear from as many residents as possible,” said Cllr Smith.

“By taking over the assets locally we’ll have more control on what happens in our parks which is vital to the community of Ammanford.

“We want to keep the parks open for everyone to use as a place to hold forthcoming community events and for children’s well-being.”

A special town council meeting is being held on Monday, March 27 to review the questionnaires received from the community and a decision will be made on which, if any, assets the council will take over from the county.