Labour and Plaid Cymru row over timescale for new school

Martin Shipton

A row has broken out between Labour and Plaid Cymru over the timescale for building a new school for children with additional learning needs in Llanelli.

Plaid-controlled Carmarthenshire County Council agreed to go ahead with a new Heol Goffa school following a campaign that was launched by parents and supporters after the council initially said the project appeared unaffordable.

Design

This week, a joint statement from county director of education Owain Lloyd and Ysgol Heol Goffa headteacher Ceri Hopkins said: “Following Carmarthenshire County Council’s cabinet decision on July 31 2025 to create a new 150 pupil school to replace Heol Goffa, work has been ongoing over the summer to further develop the design along with other preparatory tasks.

“The director of education has continued to update the Chair and headteacher over the summer. On October 2, officers from the local authority met with the Chair and headteacher at Heol Goffa to share and discuss the schedule of accommodation for the new school.

“Once the school has had the opportunity to consider and feedback their views, officers will then be able to refine and finalise the design and cost. This will then form the basis of a detailed timeline for progressing the project including the necessary planning approval, the statutory consultation required under the School Organisation Code, and the Welsh Government’s business case process.

“The director of education has committed to meeting with the school community as soon as possible after the autumn half term break. This will provide an opportunity for the local authority to share further details around the design and timeline, and to engage with the school community. We remain committed to working closely to design, build and create a centre of excellence for the very well-deserving pupils of Ysgol Heol Goffa.”

@davidllewelyndarkin Déjà vu? #saveheolgoffa ♬ Intro – The xx

In a TikTok video, Cllr David Darkin, the Labour leader of Llanelli Town Council said: “Another announcement about Heol Goffa. Another promise of progress. Let’s be honest, this isn’t new. As an architect I understand good design takes time .It should be thoughtful, inclusive and done properly. But I also know this. Every serious project starts with a timescale. Right now we’ve got no published plans, no construction schedule, no completion date. Just meetings, updates and vague promises. In business and construction we regularly say a goal without a timeline is just a wish. Right now this school is just a wish. Our pupils deserve more than good intentions. They deserve a school and they deserve to know when it’s coming. And what it’ll look like. So yes, I welcome the ambition, but I’m calling out the delay. No plans. No timeline. No accountability. Let’s stop repeating announcements and start showing results.”

Disappointing

Plaid Cymru councillor Alun Lenny, Carmarthenshire County Council’s cabinet member for resources, responded: “It’s deeply disappointing that David Darkin should resort to misinforming people in this way. The Plaid-led council has committed £35m to give ALN pupils in the Llanelli area the larger modern school they need and deserve. Such substantial investment is hardly ‘a wish!’ And as an architect, he should know that it’s extremely naive to put a completion date on a major scheme like this.

“Had the council listened to Labour councillors like him and previously gone ahead with building a smaller 120-pupil school at Heol Goffa, it would have been full to overflowing as soon as it opened. It’s just as well that we didn’t bow to such short-sighted advice from Labour, but instead commissioned an independent report as the basis of consultation with pupils, parents, teachers and governors. We’re now moving ahead to finalise the design and seek agreement from the Welsh Government.

“By the way, as an architect, I trust his plans are more accurate than his spelling, since he can’t even spell Heol Goffa properly in his TikTok post! [where it’s spelled Hoel Goffa]!”