Carmarthenshire County Council’s Labour members teamed up with union Unison this week to begin campaign against the proposed closure of four council offices across Carmarthenshire, including Ammanford Town Hall.

The council is believed to be considering closing four offices across Carmarthenshire as part of a scheme seeking to modernise the authority’s use of its buildings.

The proposal would see Ammanford Town Hall, Old Library, Ammanford, Nant y Ci and 5-8 Spillman Street close, with over 140 staff being affected.

Councillor Rob James, deputy leader of the Labour group, said: “The proposal to close Ammanford Town Hall and the Old Library by Carmarthenshire Council is deeply concerning.

“The Labour Group is proud to join Unison and our trade union colleagues to campaign to save the Town Hall and the Old Library buildings.

“The closure of both buildings would have an enormous impact on local traders, with fewer council employees working in Ammanford.

“The proposed annual saving of £90,000 a year with the closure of both would be a drop in the ocean of the £12.5 million that the authority aims to cut next year.”

Unison branch secretary Mark Evans, said: “If these jobs are moved it will impact on many of our members incomes and work life balance.

“Everyday council employees spend money locally and the loss of these jobs in Ammanford will have a significant impact on local shops in the town centre.

“Plaid and Independent Councillors can be accused of not being open about their intentions on this matter, probably because they fear the public backlash and the reaction of Unison members.”

A demonstration opposing the closures is due to be held at 11am on Saturday, August 11, outside Ammanford town hall.

Responding to criticism of the proposals, a Plaid Cymru spokesman said: “For Kevin Madge to talk of job security when he presided over the loss of 300 council jobs during his term as council Leader is the height of hypocrisy.

“The only mention of job losses here in Ammanford has been from Labour party members who are deliberately and recklessly trying to whip up fear for their own political ends rather than offering solutions to alleviate the severe financial challenges the council faces.

“This shameless tactic is typical of a Labour party whose Welsh Government Ministers sit in comfortable offices in Cardiff Bay meekly passing on millions of pounds of Tory cuts to local councils. They leave our country wide open to savage austerity, and then campaign against those cuts by blaming everyone else. The protesting should happen on the steps of the Senedd or outside Westminster.

“No other politician from Wales has done more in Parliament than Jonathan Edwards to fight against Tory austerity. When Labour MPs supported £30billion of Tory cuts, Jonathan stood in opposition. In the National Assembly, Adam Price has tried to work constructively with the Labour government to ease the burden on local ratepayers.

“The council needs to save £8.8million this year and a total of £24.6million over three years. That’s the colossal cut the Labour Welsh Government is passing to our council.” If making better use of council resources by consolidating buildings still means that jobs will be protected, that front desk services can be brought into the town centre and all jobs remain in Ammanford then it would be irresponsible not to at least consider it.

“Neither Adam Price nor Jonathan Edwards are able to attend on Saturday due to prior commitments, but pledge their support to local workers and extend an invitation to every single member of staff who works at the Town Hall and Old Library to meet with them personally.”