A PILLAR of a Towy Valley community has fired a warning to the National Assembly: forget funding publicity for the impending smoking ban and pump more money into the local schools.

Chair of Llandovery's Chamber of Commerce, Hilary Hunt, has been left infuriated by the fact that booklets alerting traders in the town about the ban, which comes into play on April 2, have been sent to every business, around 140 in total, in the area.

This, she insists, is a complete and utter waste of public money, because anyone with the intelligence to run a business will know all about the ban.

Ms Hunt, who runs The Bookshop in the town, also claims that only a minority of businesses in Llandovery will be affected by the new legislation.

"People don't smoke in most shops. I certainly can't remember the last time I saw someone with a cigarette in a shop.

"It is only in the cafes, pubs and restaurants in town that people smoke so it's utterly pointless for all traders to get these packages."

Anger towards the pointless exercise is intensified further by the fact that Ysgol Rhys Prichard is currently unable to employ a key member of staff due to funding problems.

"The local school has to make do without a librarian because of a lack of money but then we see a total waste like this," said Ms Hunt.

An Assembly spokesman said that the action packs were a legal obligation.