QUESTIONS are being asked as to how computers bought for community use in Milford's Howarth Close are currently being used by council staff in County Hall.

The two laptop computers were bought with money from the £78,600 grant for the Howarth Close Healthy Living Centre, awarded by the Welsh Assembly under its Sustainable Communities programme.

Unfortunately, community development in Howarth Close ground to a halt after expiry of the period in which the Healthy Living Grant could be spent, coupled with the failure of a fresh grant bid. Disillusioned, the residents' association disbanded in March last year.

But how exactly the community's assets were disposed of now seems the cause of some confusion.

Former secretary of the tenants and residents' association, Rowland Rowlands, says some assets, such as items of furniture, were offered to other community associations and sold off, with the proceeds going to the children's ward at Withybush Hospital.

He didn't know, however, what became of two laptop computers and around £1500 worth of new gardening equipment.

A spokesman for the grant holders, Pembrokeshire County Council, confirmed: "The laptop computers and gardening equipment have been returned to the county council and re-deployed to other uses.

"The two laptop computers are being utilised by housing personnel in County Hall and the gardening equipment is being utilised by the Probation Service in a scheme involving the county council whereby offenders carry out gardening duties for tenants who are unable to maintain their gardens to the required standard."

Mr Rowlands said he was surprised to learn where the equipment had ended up.

"This has come out of the blue" he said. "I can't remember any minute to that effect, or even hearing anything about it.

"I can't understand how the laptops are in the county council offices. They were bought with Assembly money for use by the community and they should remain for community use. If a public body needs resources then those resources should come from the government."

An Assembly spokesman said it would not have been the Assembly's decision what happened to the equipment. But the council say the Assembly invoiced them for the value of the equipment - £1,900, less depreciation - because they were no longer being used for the purpose they were bought for.

A council spokesman went on: "The council chose not to pass the cost on to the community but to repay this amount and retain the goods in lieu of payment."