In the run up to the Senedd Election, Llanelli Labour have experienced an unexpected loss, with Llwynhendy Councillor Jason Hart recently deciding to leave the party.
Cllr Hart, a winner in Radio Carmarthenshire’s community awards represents the area on Llanelli Rural Council.
During his term he has been involved in work to provide 24-hour access to defibrillators, helping to set up a food bank, starting the Llwynhendy Kicks Project, getting CCTV camera coverage for his area, supported Llwynhendy in Bloom, and working on Dwyfor Growing Services.
Most recently, he was involved in securing funding for £175,000 for a Skate Park, £35,000 for floodlights on the Multi Use Games Area, £20,000 for new play equipment at Tir Einon Park and £1.6 million for the new community hub, all projects expected to be achieved in the next 2 years.
When asked why he’d left the party, Cllr Hart said: “I left as I had enough of the in-party bullying, the local branch not following Labour rules, and the party not dealing with complaints.
“Everything was getting brushed under the carpet and not dealt with correctly.”
“Even though I’ve left the Labour Party, I still hold Labour values and Lee Waters has done a fantastic job in Llanelli and I truly wish him the best for the upcoming elections.”
“I’ve worked a lot with Lee throughout my term and he always helps and answers my questions promptly.”
This is not the first such loss Labour has experienced, Cllrs Ella Simmons and Shahana Najmi have similarly left the party recently, and Labour’s Fozia Akhtar has ceased to be a member of Llanelli Rural Council because of low attendance to council meetings over a period of six months, as dictated by the rulings of the Local Government Act 1972.
This has resulted in three vacancies in the Llwynhendy/Pemberton Ward. In 2017 the Labour party held all the seats within Llwynhendy, and it is unknown how this under representation will affect the party in the future.
Councillors leaving Labour is not new, as several County and Town Councillors left the Party a few years ago citing similar allegations. They are now Independents,
Cllr Hart’s current concern is managing the workload of the ward alone until new ward members can be elected.
“I don’t believe it is fair to the community to simply walk away at this point, so I intend to continue this last year as an Independent Councillor, with the hope of maintaining stability in the Llwynhendy Ward.”
Labour Llanelli was approached for comment about Cllr Hart’s allegations, but we have yet to receive a reply.
