‘Frustrated’ Fairbourne residents walked out of a public meeting organised by Gwynedd Council to discuss challenges the community will face with rising sea levels.

A public consultation event organised by the council has been criticised by some who left when they were asked to create a work of art.

The event presented residents with proposals on how their community will deal with issues relating to climate change and rising sea levels but feelings of anxiety about that turned to frustration for some during the first workshop of the afternoon when residents were invited to create a “work of art” out of newspapers and craft materials instead of being told straight away about the future of their village.

Graham Hogg, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for the area, said: “I heard people saying they had not turned up for a kindergarten class but to find out about the future of their homes. One couple told me they had to squeeze in this event before a hospital appointment and they were there to find out about the consultation document.

“They and the others attending immediately walked out of the workshop as they felt the facilitator knew nothing about the consultation or their plight.”

The document states that due to rising sea levels it will no longer be safe nor sustainable to remain in Fairbourne after 2054.

A spokesperson for the Fairbourne Moving Forward partnership said: “Over the course of the drop-in sessions, approximately 70 people took part in the facilitated sessions. A very small number of those who attended the first day decided that the facilitation session wasn’t for them and decided to return to the main hall where various partners were on-hand to discuss the proposals.

“Two further drop-in sessions will be held in Fairbourne Village Hall between 11am and 1pm on Friday, 18 October and Friday, 1 November. Any member of the public who wishes to discuss the consultation exercise further are encouraged to attend. We would also encourage residents to take part in the consultation.”

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