Ammanford Town Council have unanimously decided to write to Carmarthenshire County Council to inform that they wish to keep the Town Hall open.

During a full council meeting on September 11, Mayor of Ammanford Councillor Colin Evans issued a notice of motion to understand the council’s view on the proposed closure of Ammanford Town Hall and the Old Library, which was brought up at an executive board meeting in July.

Cllr Evans notified the council that no buildings had been listed for closure in Llanelli or Llandeilo and the only building listed to be retained in Ammanford was Parc Ammnwy.

“There has been a public outcry following the new of the potential loss of these two buildings in Ammanford,” he said.

“To lose this facility we are standing in this evening would be a crime.

“On Fridays, myself and others have been taking around a petition on Quay Street to keep the town hall and the old library open and not one resident has obtained to sign the petition. It shows how vitally important these buildings are to the town.”

County Councillor Deian Harries seconded the Mayors proposal.

He said: “We need to stand up to these aggressive cutbacks that are being forced upon us.

“Cllr Evans has warned us when he ran the county council about the catastrophic cutbacks coming our way, but I believe it's not fair that Ammanford should have to take the brunt of these cuts. Why can't they centralise departments and move them to our town.

“This town hall is underused, that is quite obvious, and this chamber is an example of that.

“I remember a previous county councillor suggesting that this chamber could be turned into offices. If it means for the council to use these rooms as offices or a meeting room, then we must accept it if it means the council offices stay open.

We can adapt very easily as a town council.

“The proposal to open a hub in the town centre is something we must listen to if it ever came up again because it might help bring more footfall to the town centre.

After Colin and I were informed about the proposal that was being put in front of the executive board, I immediately put a stop to it. One thing I will always do is to put my town first.

Therefore would it be the best way forward for us to write to the county council to give us an update and to tell them we would like to keep the town hall open.

Councillor Carol Cadman added: “Ammanford will not be a town without a town hall.”