Council reveals £176m capital spending plans

Richard Youle, local democracy reporter

A Welsh council has revealed details of their £176 million-pound capital budget to be used over the next five years – assuming the proposals are agreed at a meeting next month.

Multi-million-pound investments in Burry Port Harbour, a school in Llanelli and a care home in the Gwendraeth Valley have been revealed in Carmarthenshire Council’s latest capital spending plans.

The five-year plans include £8 million towards ongoing extension work at Ysgol Bryngwyn, Llanelli, amongst other investments.

Spending plans

Nearly £20 million has been projected for a new council residential care and nursing home in Cwmgwili, between Cross Hands and Ammanford, with a third of the sum allocated in 2025-26 and two-thirds the following year.

Meanwhile a £16.7 million investment in cleaner refuse vehicles, many of which will be battery-powered, is planned next year.

Budget papers also show a £62 million investment in new and upgraded schools, including the Ysgol Bryngwyn extension.

Council leader Darren Price told a cabinet meeting on January 13 that this would include investment into special needs education in the Llanelli area, following a review.

The review took place after the council decided not to go ahead with the planned replacement of Ysgol Heol Goffa, due to soaring costs.

“Schools are absolutely pivotal to us as a cabinet,” said Councillor Price.

Further investments

The budget report said the long-awaited Towy Valley cycle path between Llandeilo and Carmarthen was due to open “in the spring/summer of 2025” and that work to agree an £18 million project to boost Llanelli town centre was continuing with the UK Government.

It added that options to improve Ammanford town centre were also being examined, while £725,000 would be invested in council-owned farms in 2025-26.

Budget

The £176 million over five years would be funded mainly by the council (£102 million), with most of the remainder from external sources. A small portion – £2.2 million – is unfunded at present.

Rising construction costs are an issue for all local authorities, and Councillor Alun Lenny, cabinet member for resources, said this meant the council’s capital ambitions were not “as ambitious or wide-ranging as we would like”.

The report also revealed that some projects being funded this financial year were behind schedule. The estimated “slippage”, as it is known, is estimated at £38 million.