After 7 years of consultation with residents, Carmarthenshire County Council, Rural Council, other funders and Our Llwynhendy, it was recognised that Llwynhendy needed to Create a Community Hub and play area on the Gwili Field for residents living in the Llwynhendy/Pemberton Ward.
Cllrs of Llwynhendy worked closely with the previous Labour/Plaid/Independent Council. It was agreed that Llanelli Rural Council would contribute £600,000 towards the Llwynhendy hub project, setting aside £37,140 in 2022 towards the project.
Our Llwynhendy whom had funding from the Lottery to deliver various projects within Llwynhendy agreed to give £350,000 towards the hub, based on the Llanelli Rural’s contribution of £600,000, other commitments from other organisations was also agreed, based on the Rural Councils commitment, which has now jeopardised the whole project.
The hub project originally cost £1.6 million, however, after a further request from the Labour group to re-assess the cost of the build and using some of the money which was agreed by Our Llwynhendy to assess the cost. Cllr and Leader of the Council Sue Lewis stated she didn’t wish to waste Our Llwynhendy’s money?
The revised cost estimated £2.8 million. The inflated cost included a reception desk costing apparently £30,000. Due to this and one which we expected, the Labour Led Council changed their commitment, using stalling tactics and wasting money to come to this decision.
On 20th December capital schemes project Agenda item 289, the clerk states: “the controlling group was to try and bring parity across all Severn electoral wards by delivering schemes efficiently and economically in every ward without leaving a legacy of debt for the successor council to absorb in May 2027”.
At a recent meeting the Labour led council then changed the borrowing to £400,000 from the £600,000 committed to fund the below projects.
£100,000 for a park in Hengoed with no consultation and no costings.
Plaid members were not consulted or made aware of the plan until the agenda was published at the meeting.
They still have no idea what land has been identified for the park.
£20,950 for Glyn ward towards a Park, However, the Plaid member/residents/council officers have worked countless hours to gather evidence for a lottery bid to secure the park.
It has taken 6 years, to get to this stage. Yet Hengoed ward has been given £100,000.
£41,000 for a park in Bynea, no consultation and no costings. It was only a few years ago that the Labour Bynea County Councillor, gave Thousands out of 106 monies, for a park in Llangennech.
£23,000 for a park in Clos Cilsaig no consultation and no costings.
£15.050 felinfoel toilet no consultation and no costings.
£200,000 to Llwynhendy Hub project with 7 years consultation, numerous meetings with a variety of organisations, funding provided by Our Llwynhendy for a feasibility report, surveyors report etc. £37,140 had already been set aside by the previous administration for the project.
The hub project now had a shortfall of £431,140. The overall commitment from the Labour administration was £168,860 on a project costing £2.8 million.
The 4 Independent and Plaid Councillors recognised that £168,860 wouldn’t be enough to move forward with the project, as the overall commitment by other organisations could also be withdrawn.
These are very difficult times, so it’s not expected we as a Council would choose this moment to undergo Capital projects.
Increased wages for staff and inflationary costs could have been offset by reducing the capital budget for next year and rely on grant funding for just one year until inflation hopefully drops and as a result every single penny in increased costs will now need to be passed on to taxpayers unless the council makes cuts to services.
The Llwynhendy members offered to postpone the Councils contribution until interest rates fell, focusing on the outdoor section of the project in the meantime which was easier to find grant funding for.
High interest rates were sighted by multiple Labour members in opposition to fund the project.
Is this parity? Llwynhendy is the only ward without a Community Hub for their Residents. Carmarthenshire County Council based on the previous support from the Rural, agreed to provide the Land and a Library to transform and develop into a community hub for the residents.
If Labour wants a project funded, they open the public purse and dish out the cash without consultation.
Whilst the rest of us 4 Independent and Plaid, try our best to find other sources to fund our projects.
The Llwynhendy Rural Councillors requested Cllr Sue Lewis (Labour) Leader of the Rural Council to attend a Public Meeting to explain to the residents, Our Llwynhendy and other organisations who wasn’t even consulted on their new funding recommendation. Unfortunately, the Leader declined.
Llwynhendy is one of the most deprived wards within Carmarthenshire, where 2 years ago the community suffered an outbreak of TB.
We as Llwynhendy Cllr’s have always sourced funding via grants, Carmarthenshire County Council and other organisations to develop the MUGA, PARKS, GROWING SPACE ETC.
THE LLWYNEHDNY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LET DOWN BY THE LABOUR GROUP ADMINISTRATION.
