Natural Resources Wales is shutting its three visitors centres, all located here within west Wales. Why it doesn’t simply go a little more and shut itself down, we ask, because as things stand right now, it us useless and toothless. It has as much bite as a gummy ewe.

Earlier this week, staff at the three sites, Bwlch Nant yr Arian near Aberystwyth, Ynyslas near Borth, and Coed y Brenin near Dolgellau, were told by email that they were at risk of redundancy. While the agency itself said that there are no confirmed dates for the closures, the Cambrian News has been told from our reliable sources that they will theoretically close in a month.

These closures have been on the cards for months. And despite strong local opposition - hundreds have joined protests, thousands have signed petitions - six months on, we are now seemingly at the end of the line.

This newspaper, months ago, offered to facilitate a campaign of stakeholders such as Aberystwyth University, the councils, our MPs and MSs, Visit Wales and Cadw. No one responded.

Let’s be clear here: Neither Gwynedd Council nor Ceredigion County Council have raised a finger to ensure that these local amenities remained open and functioning as a resource for local communities and the tens of thousands of visitors who use them.

If our county councils can’t be relied upon to take an active role in keeping our public amenities open, they they too need take a long hard look in the mirror.

There have been some efforts by our Members of the Senedd to raise the issue. Now, given the shameful decision by NRW to close the centres, those political efforts, it’s more than fair to suggest, have also come to nothing. Let’s score them with a C for effort with a comment that they could apply themselves harder.

But NRW? It scores an F.

F for failure to its key point to look at the natural resources of this region.

F for failing the people of this region.

F for failing the environment.

In fact, it’s F-all use.