A SITE has been bought for a new primary school in Ammanford, but it’s not clear yet for which school. 

Cllr Glynog Davies, cabinet member for education and children, confirmed that land had been acquired off the town’s Pontamman Road at a meeting of full council.

The answer came in a series of replies to questions from Labour opposition leader, Cllr Rob James, about progress on new schools in the county.

Asked when the Plaid Cymru-led administration would consult the public about the Pontamman Road school plans, Cllr Davies said no decision had been made about which of the town’s schools would potentially move there.

But he said the Ammanford school situation was a priority and that plans were being developed “at pace”, with many factors to take into account.

Cllr James said the previous Labour administration had allocated money for new schools in Ammanford but that the incoming Plaid administration had pushed the project back in 2016. Cllr Davies said he was aware of this, but that the decision pre-dated his joining what was then the executive board in 2017.

Cllr Davies also said he couldn’t confirm whether all the plans for new schools outlined in last year’s budget would progress until an ongoing review of school provision in Carmarthenshire was completed.

The Plaid cabinet member added that construction costs had rocketed, although some extra funding had been secured from the Welsh Government.

The exchanges between Cllr Davies and Cllr James became tetchy on the subject of Ysgol Dewi Sant, Llanelli. A preferred site had been chosen for a new school on Llanerch field, but there was vocal opposition and the Welsh Government issued a notice preventing planning consent from being issued.

The Plaid administration, following more technical surveys, decided to start afresh and identify a new site.

Asked for an update, Cllr Davies said the same Labour party which had created the school in 1947 now “opposed our plans at every opportunity for a new school”.

Cllr Davies said the original Llanerch field proposal had been chosen by experts, not the administration, and that if the plans had gone through it would have been built by now.

Cllr James said Ysgol Dewi Sant parents and staff were “still in the dark” two years on and wanted a firm date regarding a consultation.

Cllr Davies said thorough work was ongoing to avoid more potential opposition, and that it was “just so unfair” that staff and pupils were stuck in the current school building.

“Once again I am pointing the finger at you, Rob James,” he said.