LLANELLI: ‘No threat to Parc Howard’, insists deputy council leader

The deputy leader of Carmarthenshire County Council has hit back at claims that Llanelli‘s Parc Howard is being left to decay, accusing the town councillor behind them of misleading residents.

Cllr Shaun Greaney, the Labour member for Lliedi on Llanelli Town Council, launched a Save Our Ancient Park petition this week, saying the town’s “jewel in the crown” had become “another unloved and uncared for park” under the Plaid Cymru-led county council.

In a statement issued by Plaid Cymru, Cllr Hazel Evans, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, leisure, culture and tourism, said his remarks were “misleading and give a negative impression of Parc Howard, which is enjoyed by tens of thousands of visitors every year”.

“There is no threat to the future of Parc Howard, so Cllr Greaney is misleading the residents of Llanelli by asking them to sign a superfluous ‘Save our Ancient Park’ petition,” she said.

She rejected the suggestion the park was uncared for, saying both councils “contribute substantial sums annually” to maintain it despite increasing financial pressures, with county staff on site all year round supported by Llanelli Town Council and Parc Howard Association volunteers.

On the paddling pool, which Cllr Greaney said the town council had to fight to keep open last summer, she said there had been “no discussion about the closure” and that joint working had the pool ready “in time for the school summer holidays”. It opened on 20 July with the town’s other free pools.

She admits, though, that several of the park’s features do need work.

The bandstand “requires significant remedial investment”, she said, which is why it is fenced off for safety, with the two councils still exploring “potential solutions to secure the future of this historic structure”.

The zip wires were “temporarily taken out of service following safety concerns”, with further assessment aimed at bringing them back “as soon as practicable”.

And the duck pond basin, dry since the Parc Howard Association stopped topping it up, “requires significant repairs”, she said, with funding discussions she hopes will conclude “very soon”.

Where the two flatly disagree is the Rose Garden. Cllr Greaney said it was removed years ago as a saving; Cllr Evans said she was “mystified” by the claim, insisting it “remains a feature of the park” and is regularly maintained.

The exotic birds and animals once kept in the park went “many years ago”, she said, asking whether Cllr Greaney “seriously propose[s] that we start housing birds and animals again, given the reality of maintaining such a provision”.

She also rejected his portrayal of the relationship between the two councils as strained, calling the collaboration “positive and constructive” and thanking the town council for its money and the association’s volunteers for their time.

“Parc Howard is a historic and valued community asset,” she said. “While challenges exist, particularly where significant investment is required for ageing assets, work continues in partnership with local stakeholders, funding bodies and dedicated volunteers to maintain and improve the park within the available funding.”

The petition is on paper in Llanelli shops, with an online version to follow.