To the Editor, I am standing down as the County Councillor for Pembroke St Mary South Ward and am, therefore, in a position to publish my own thoughts because I no longer need to be diplomatic.

However, first I would pay tribute to all officers in County Hall and its periphery offices. From Bryn Parry-Jones at the top to the lowliest employee, all have been courteous and helpful. They all do a very difficult job and sometimes without the capability to answer criticism that may have been wrongly placed..

I get very annoyed at members of the public who think that they know better than officers who have acquired university degrees in their chosen subject and then have many years’ experience actually doing the job. Yes, it is up to County Councillors to highlight various problems that arise in each ward, but It is those officers who know how to accomplish improvements for our county, not unqualified members of the public, who seem not to understand why various jobs have not been done, or have been done, but not in the way that they would want them done.

My other gripe is against members of the public, who think that they are going to get on the County Council and “sort ‘em out”. How the heck does this sort of person do that, when they don’t have the background knowledge that officers have?

Having been an employee from 1987 to 2004 - prior to my election to represent the above named ward - I saw many Councillors come in, with all guns blazing to “sort the Council out”. Rubbish. Thank goodness the majority of them soon learnt that they have to work with officers to get things done, not rant and rave at what they see as inefficiencies or missed opportunities.

I remember, many years ago, County Councillor Viv Hay, who used to represent Pembroke Dock Central, saying “You catch more bees with honey, than with vinegar”. I’ve not been one to shout my mouth off at every opportunity, but I tried to follow Viv’s code, though I’m not the most patient of people.

Democracy will now take place once again and a new bunch of Councillors will be in place. It is up to you, the electorate, to choose wisely your new County Councillor, who will bring to the fore your ward’s problems to the best of his or her ability and represent the people and not the party masters.

Cllr Rosalie Lilwall