A clarification

REGARDING the Store 21 closing in Caldicot, it is being done for commercial reasons. 
Already there are a number of empty shops on the town and the Town Team are very active in pursuing options to encourage businesses to take over shops which are being promoted as “pop up” shops. 
This is a venture which is happening in a few places. Considerable effort is being put in by the Town Team headed by Arron Reeks.
The HSBC bank closed its doors a few weeks ago and that doesn’t help either. 
This is something that is happening in many parts of Wales unfortunately. 
Regarding the comment made that, and I quote, many in Caldicot think that the selling off the school playing fields for the ASDA development started the decline of the town.
In response to that I will state that the people of the town made the decision, in a referendum, by a majority in favour of a new supermarket on those fields and we must not forget many residents expressed as a wish over some years for a new supermarket to come to Caldicot. 
It seems that may have been forgotten. 
The finance involved in the sale of part of, not I quote from Mr Ashwin’s letter, the school playing fields which in itself is a misleading statement also realised a considerable sum toward the new school which is well on the way constructionally for completion in 2017. 
Regarding the Mayor Cllr David Evans calling a public meeting for which I, as Chairman of Monmouthshire County Council am invited, I think the efforts presently would be better directed to encouraging new business ventures to the town. 
I speak frequently to the Town Team Representative and I know from those conversations that new businesses are continually being sought, in times of austerity very difficult. 
I trust this helps clear up any misunderstanding of where we are and why.