The following phrase summarises our campaign: “there are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.” At present, it appears that there is no clear plan of action regarding the missing link project. As a result, we recently contacted Councillors Andrew Williams, Dai Jenkins, Sue Jones, and Matthew Palmer to request an update on the status of the project see below our correspondence….

 
“Dear Councillors, as discussed in my earlier email, please find below matters arising to which our pressure group would very much like to receive answers from our county council.
Some members of the current North Gower Access Path group have been working to secure a safe passage between Gowerton and Penclawdd since before 2000. Documents from CCS outline that a safe route for non-motorised travel between the two villages was given (by CCS cabinet) a high priority for installation in their year 2000 plans.
Planning permission from detailed engineering drawing proposals was granted in 2006, for the same route as proposed by engineering consultants Mott McDonald in 2023.
We have been informed that EU funding secured in 2013, some £250k, had to be returned un-spent due to non-completion of the project, this we have been led to believe as a result of the council being unable to secure a deal with foreshore land owners of that time.
 
1.  Please could the process of the 'need identification through to completion' of such a SUP project be explained as a step-by-step progression.

2.  It has been suggested that the parameters for securing Senned funding for projects such as ours has been modified for future financial years; that the CCS will be restricted to a single large-scale project per annum.  If this is indeed the case, how does the cabinet prioritise such costly projects as ours?

3.  Is there a list of high priority proposed projects that compete with the Missing Link, and if so what are they and do any of them precede that needs of the county constituents as identified in CCS minutes from 2000?

4.  Members of NGAP have heard that due to changing specifying requirements for an SUP, the 'Missing Link' will require the existing SUP from Penclawdd to (currently) just east of the building formerly known locally as The Rake and Riddle to be upgraded to meet the latest SUP requirements also.  If so, how will this affect the project as currently petitioned for?

5.  Mott McDonald's feasibility study proposed that funding for the (now completed) topographical inspection be secured from Welsh Government sources and construction funded in a similar manner the following financial year, suggesting that work could be completed by 2026?  Has any commitment from the CCS been made and where can the council response to MM's report be accessed?

6.  Is there a Cabinet forum whereby interested constituency members can lobby the case for this safe thoroughfare alongside the B4295?  If so when, where and to whom can we present our case?

In the meantime, can we press you to act on our behalf and arrange for the highways department (or whoever is responsible for such) to cut back all vegetation along the footpath to the North of B4295 for its entirety between Penclawdd and Gowerton and that the pavement surface be maintained to a useable standard that enables pedestrian and mobility scooter users to safely navigate their passage.