The council scrapped plans for a new £17m building to provide a 132 place bilingual special school provision for children and young people aged between 3 and 20 to replace the current Heol Goffa special school in May.
The council described the plans as “not financially viable” and has said it is “committed to exploring the delivery of alternative facilities on different sites“.
Supporting the protestors who gathered outside County Hall in Carmarthen on Wednesday (10 July), Llanelli MP, Dame Nia Griffith said: “The presentation of a 5,000 signature petition against Plaid Cymru’s deplorable u-turn on their promise of a new school for Ysgol Heol Goffa to Carmarthenshire County Council today is a clear sign of the overwhelming opposition to their decision.
“Why have other councils across Wales been able to make this a top priority and continue to build similar new schools for children with complex additional learning needs when Plaid in Carmarthenshire have not? Their complete lack of clarity and transparency has only made matters worse for pupils, parents, staff, governors and local communities.
“I congratulate campaigners on their unity in fighting to ensure that those children who require the specialist education that Ysgol Heol Goffa delivers get the facilities they deserve.
“Along with Carmarthenshire’s Labour councillors, I will continue to give my full backing to this campaign. Plaid really need to start listening and urgently map out a clear future for ALN provision in Carmarthenshire that truly meets the needs of young people across our county, including a new school for Ysgol Heol Goffa.”
(Lead image: Nia Griffith)
