WE attended a scrutiny committee meeting on April 17, where clarification was asked for on several points made in the report of the changes being made at the medieval village at Cosmeston.

Councillor Mark Wilson asked for a feasibility study to look at various scenarios for the future of the village, including third party involvement, to be done and taken back to scrutiny. When put to the vote this was passed.

It appears to us that the drastic reduction in the budget allocation is what has made it impossible for the village to function any longer as it has been doing, or for further development to take place under the current system.

We have met and had two further telephone conversations with the leader of the council, Councillor Gordon Kemp, in which several suggestions were discussed, including a possible lease of the village to a third party.

Realistically, financial figures would have to be produced for anyone to contemplate this, and although asked for, they have not been forthcoming.

We have been told that, as a council, they operate on estimated and actual budgets, and are not required to produce profit and loss sheets.

This is taxpayers’ money we are talking of here and these figures should be available to us, if only to prove the loss we are told has been made.

A public meeting is being held on Wednesday, May 16, at 7.30pm at Lower Penarth Community Centre, Brockhill Way, Cosmeston, Penarth.

This is in no way a political issue, our aims and objectives are to look at multi-functional ideas to give the village a future, as a tourist, heritage and archaeological site, as we feel we are in grave danger of losing it.

Karl-James Langford PGDipAH; Tracey Alexander; Valerie Poole