#cllrseanrees — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #cllrseanrees, aggregated by home.social.
-
LLANELLI: Waste site banned from taking some waste tonight as fly crisis escalates
The Llanelli waste site blamed for the town’s fly infestation has been ordered to stop accepting some types of waste from 6pm tonight.
Natural Resources Wales issued a partial suspension notice on AMG Resources Limited after a further inspection on Thursday, escalating its response to the swarms plaguing the Glanymor area.
The notice bans certain waste types from the site from 6pm on Friday 24 July. NRW has not specified which types.
The operator must also clear and clean areas of the site and complete a list of other actions identified by NRW officers.
The regulator said AMG Resources was cooperating.
AMG Resources has declined to comment on the enforcement action. Earlier in the investigation the company said it was not the source of the flies and that it had pest control measures in place.
It is a significant escalation. Three days ago NRW served an enforcement notice giving the operator 21 days to bring waste management back into line with its permit — the shortest period the law allows.
NRW said it understood “how distressing and frustrating” the increase in fly activity had been for residents and businesses in the Glanymor area.
The statement also pushes back at the criticism that has built around the regulator this week. Two Glanymor councillors called for NRW’s chair to resign, citing what they called a significant reversal in its position.
Cllr Sean Rees and Cllr Louvain Roberts pointed to a BBC Wales report on 7 July, in which NRW said it did not think the AMG plant was “currently contributing to the reported increase in flies”. Its own investigation later identified the site as a source.
NRW now disputes that account. “NRW has not taken part in any interview with the BBC on this issue to date,” the statement says.
It adds that any suggestion it concluded AMG Resources was not a potential source “does not reflect the complexity of the investigation or the approach taken by NRW officers throughout the incident”.
“At no point during our investigation was this operator ruled out as a potential source,” the statement says, adding that NRW had taken regulatory decisions “based on the evidence available at each stage”.
The two accounts are not necessarily at odds. NRW’s denial refers specifically to an interview, while its earlier comment to the BBC was a written statement — and it said the plant was not “currently” contributing to the rise in flies, rather than that it had been ruled out altogether.
Officers had carried out inspections, monitoring and other evidence-gathering from the outset to assess a number of possible sources, it said, working alongside Carmarthenshire Council.
NRW said it would keep monitoring the site closely and assess compliance with both notices, and would consider further regulatory action if needed.
Looking further ahead, NRW said it would continue “enhanced monitoring” of the site, and that the operator would be required to review and improve its current protection measures to minimise the risk of a repeat.
Flies have swarmed homes, pubs and shops across Seaside, Morfa and Tyisha since early July, with shops selling out of spray and more than 800 people joining a Facebook group tracking the infestation.
Residents say the problem is not new. Fly infestations in the area were first reported in 2018, and locals say pest control measures have never stopped the swarms returning in hot weather.
Residents can report fly activity to Carmarthenshire Council on 01267 234567 or [email protected].
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
LLANELLI: NRW defends fly crisis handling — but doesn’t address call for chair to quit
The regulator’s response to the resignation demand earlier this week.LLANELLI: Councillors call for NRW chair to quit over fly crisis
Glanymor’s councillors demand accountability over the handling of the infestation.LLANELLI: Flies traced to AMG Resources site as regulator orders 21-day clean-up
How the investigation identified the source.LLANELLI: ‘Like a plague’ — flies swarm Seaside homes and pubs
#AMGResources #CarmarthenshireCouncil #CllrLouvainRoberts #CllrSeanRees #Llanelli #NaturalResourcesWales
How the infestation first took hold across the Seaside area. -
LLANELLI: NRW defends fly crisis handling — but doesn’t address call for chair to quit
Natural Resources Wales has defended its handling of the Llanelli fly infestation, after two county councillors called for its chair to resign.
But the regulator’s statement does not directly address the resignation demand — or the councillors’ call for compensation for affected residents and businesses.
Glanymor ward councillors Sean Rees and Louvain Roberts called for the chair of NRW to quit this week over what they described as a “significant reversal” in the regulator’s position.
The independent councillors said Natural Resources Wales told BBC Wales on 7 July that it did not believe the AMG Resources site was the source of the infestation. The regulator’s own investigation later confirmed the site as a source — and an enforcement notice was issued.
In its response, NRW said it understood how “distressing and frustrating” the situation had been for those affected in the Seaside area.
A spokesperson for Natural Resources Wales said investigations into the source of a fly infestation were “detailed, evidence-led processes” involving inspections, monitoring, sampling and the exclusion of other potential sources.
“At the outset of this investigation, there was no clear evidence identifying a single source of the increased fly activity,” the spokesperson said.
The regulator said the investigation had been carried out jointly with Carmarthenshire Council to establish the source and inform any regulatory action.
“Our investigations have now substantiated that a source of the increased fly activity is AMG Resources Limited, a site permitted and regulated by NRW,” the statement continued.
The spokesperson said the enforcement notice requires the operator to address issues with the management of waste on site, and to bring operations back into compliance with its permit conditions within 21 days — which NRW said is the minimum period that can be specified under the relevant legislation.
Defending its earlier position, the regulator said: “Throughout this incident, NRW has worked on the basis of the evidence available at the time.”
“This has been a complex and evolving situation, with our understanding developing as investigations progressed and further evidence was gathered. The enforcement action taken reflects the findings of those investigations.”
NRW said it would continue to monitor the site “closely and regularly” to assess the operator’s compliance with the notice.
The statement makes no mention of the position of the regulator’s chair, and does not respond to the councillors’ call for compensation for residents and businesses who suffered financial loss.
Flies had swarmed homes, pubs and businesses in the Seaside area for weeks, with shops selling out of fly spray as the infestation took hold. An earlier stage of the investigation had cleared two sites without finding the source.
Cllr Rees and Cllr Roberts have pledged to continue pressing NRW, AMG Resources and the Welsh Government until the infestation is resolved and, in their words, “those responsible are held to account”.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
LLANELLI: Councillors call for NRW chair to quit over fly crisis
Glanymor ward councillors say the regulator’s reversal raises serious questions about its leadership.LLANELLI: Flies traced to AMG Resources site as regulator orders 21-day clean-up
NRW’s investigation confirmed the permitted waste site as a source of the infestation.LLANELLI: Two sites cleared in Seaside fly investigation — but source still not found
An earlier stage of the joint investigation ruled out two potential sources.LLANELLI: ‘Like a plague’ — flies swarm Seaside homes and pubs as shops sell out of spray and the council investigates
#AMGResources #CarmarthenshireCouncil #CllrLouvainRoberts #CllrSeanRees #Llanelli #NaturalResourcesWales
How the infestation took hold across the Seaside area. -
LLANELLI: Councillors call for NRW chair to quit over fly crisis
Two Llanelli councillors have called for the chair of Natural Resources Wales to resign over the regulator’s handling of the town’s fly infestation.
Sean Rees and Louvain Roberts are the independent county councillors for Glanymor — the Llanelli ward covering the Seaside area at the centre of the infestation. They made the call after NRW confirmed the AMG Resources site as the source and ordered a 21-day clean-up.
The pair point to what they describe as a “significant reversal” by the regulator: they say NRW told BBC Wales on 7 July that it did not believe the AMG site was the source — before its own investigations later identified the site as responsible.
The AMG Resources site in Llanelli. Image: Jamie DroneIn a joint statement, the councillors said: “Llanelli residents have endured weeks of unacceptable disruption and awful conditions, with homes, businesses, schools and community facilities all affected by another fly infestation.
“This crisis has affected everyone in our community — from our young people to our elderly residents, from working people to disabled residents and those living with other medical conditions who continue to need support.
“Yet, in an interview with BBC Wales on 7 July, Natural Resources Wales said it did not believe the AMG Resources site was the source of the infestation, while the company itself maintained that it had appropriate pest control measures in place. NRW has now confirmed that its own investigations identified the AMG Resources site as the source of the recent increase in fly activity. Such a significant reversal raises serious questions about NRW’s handling of the incident and public confidence in its leadership.
“When an organisation entrusted with protecting our environment gets something as significant as this so badly wrong, accountability must start at the top. We are therefore calling on the Chair of Natural Resources Wales to resign.”
The councillors also said residents and businesses who have suffered financial loss “through no fault of their own” should receive compensation, adding: “Our community deserves answers, accountability and the assurance that this can never happen again.”
The councillors did not name the chair in their statement. The role has been held since November by Neil Sachdev, who was appointed by the Welsh Government to succeed Sir David Henshaw — meaning the resignation call lands less than nine months into his term.
It would not be the first time an NRW chair has stood down under pressure: Diane McCrea resigned in 2018 after the regulator’s accounts were qualified by auditors for a third time.
NRW served AMG Resources with a notice last week requiring action within 21 days, after weeks in which swarms of flies plagued homes, pubs and businesses in the Seaside area — a problem residents say has returned every summer since it was first reported in 2018. Two other sites were investigated and cleared before the source was found.
Waste at the AMG Resources site in Llanelli, which NRW has confirmed as the source of the infestation. Image: Jamie DroneThe councillors paid tribute to the “dedication and hard work” of officers, schools, community organisations and residents throughout the incident — but stressed that responsibility for regulating the permitted site “rests with Natural Resources Wales”.
They pledged to continue pressing AMG Resources, NRW and the Welsh Government “until the infestation is fully resolved, those responsible are held to account, and effective safeguards are put in place to prevent any recurrence”.
Natural Resources Wales has been approached for comment.
Correction: an earlier version of this article included aerial images that incorrectly showed a site in Bynea. They were removed on 22 July 2026 and replaced with images of the AMG Resources site.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Flies traced to AMG Resources site as regulator orders 21-day clean-up
NRW confirmed the source and served the company with notice last week.Two sites cleared in Seaside fly investigation — but source still not found
The hunt for the source as it stood in mid-July.‘Like a plague’ — flies swarm Seaside homes and pubs as shops sell out of spray
#AMGResources #CarmarthenshireCouncil #CllrLouvainRoberts #CllrSeanRees #featured #Llanelli #NaturalResourcesWales
How residents and businesses described weeks living with the swarms. -
LLANELLI: Flies traced to AMG Resources site as regulator orders 21-day clean-up
The fly infestation that has plagued south Llanelli for weeks has been traced to the AMG Resources site — with Natural Resources Wales ordering the operator to bring the problem under control within 21 days.
Natural Resources Wales investigations into the surge in fly activity in the Glan-y-mor ward identified the AMG Resources Ltd site as a source.
The site is permitted and regulated by Natural Resources Wales.
NRW issued an enforcement notice requiring the operator to address issues relating to the management of waste on site, and to bring operations back into compliance with its permit conditions.
The operator has been given 21 days to implement the required measures, with the regulator pressing for the work to happen sooner.
The confirmation ends weeks of uncertainty for residents, after swarms of flies hit homes, pubs and shops across Seaside, Morfa and Tyisha — with shops selling out of fly spray and more than 800 people joining a Facebook group tracking the infestation.
It follows a process of elimination: earlier this month the council ruled out the Trostre recycling centre and Dŵr Cymru’s Northumberland Pumping Station, with the AMG Resources facility among the sites still being examined.
Carmarthenshire Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for public health, Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, said the county council was continuing to work with NRW and partners following the confirmation and the enforcement notice.
“The county council’s public health team has invested significant resources to help tackle the issue,” he said, “including inspections of potential source locations, monitoring activity, engagement with local communities, providing direct support where necessary, and implementing mitigation measures, including the deployment of strategically located fly traps in the affected area.”
Cllr Vaughan Owen added: “We will continue to review the situation carefully and work with partner organisations to take any appropriate action to protect residents and minimise nuisance.”
Residents experiencing problems with fly activity are being encouraged to report them to the council’s contact centre on 01267 234567 or by email to [email protected] — reports help officers monitor the situation and target investigations.
The council said it had asked NRW for written confirmation of the longer-term measures it expects the operator to put in place to prevent a recurrence.
That includes changes to the site’s pest management plan, seasonal requirements, and “operational triggers” — rules that would kick in during warmer months, when the risk of fly activity rises.
Llanelli Town Council leader Sean Rees — who also represents the Glan-y-mor ward on Carmarthenshire Council — said there were “serious questions for NRW to now answer”, and has since joined a call for the NRW chair to resign.
The advice for households battling the nuisance also stands: fly screens or closed windows, food waste stored securely, and traps or papers indoors.
Update — 22 July 2026: this article was amended to make clear that confirmation of the source came from Natural Resources Wales, and to include an updated statement from Carmarthenshire County Council.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
‘Like a plague’ — flies swarm Seaside homes and pubs as shops sell out of spray
How the infestation first took hold.Two sites cleared in Seaside fly investigation — but source still not found
The process of elimination that led here.Councillors call for NRW chair to quit over fly crisis
#AMGResources #CarmarthenshireCouncil #CllrSeanRees #featured #Llanelli #NaturalResourcesWales
The latest chapter: Glanymor’s councillors demand accountability. -
LLANELLI: Free paddling pools reopen for the summer holidays from today
Three free paddling pools reopen across Llanelli for the school summer holidays from today.
Llanelli Town Council is opening three paddling pools — at Crown Park, Peoples’ Park and Parc Howard — from Monday 20 July, running daily through the summer break.
The Parc Howard pool is run in partnership with Carmarthenshire County Council. Alongside the pools, splash pads at Havelock Park and Penyfan Park will also be open for the holidays.
Every pool is free to use, with no booking needed — families can simply turn up.
The pools were nearly lost. In 2010, Carmarthenshire County Council proposed closing them as budget cuts bit, and the town council took over their funding and management that April.
The freshly painted paddling pool at Crown Park, ready for the summer season. Image: Llanelli Town CouncilIn the years since, the town council has gone on to directly employ its own seasonal attendants to run the pools, filling and emptying them and overseeing their daily use.
Today it maintains and operates all three — Crown Park, Peoples’ Park and Parc Howard — through the school summer holidays each year.
Each pool is staffed by an attendant who fills and empties it daily and keeps an eye on how it is being used. The council stresses the attendants are not lifeguards, and that children remain the responsibility of their parents or guardians at all times.
Portable toilets will be provided at Crown Park and Peoples’ Park for pool users, open only during pool hours.
The paddling pool at Peoples’ Park, next to the play area and skate park. Image: Llanelli Town CouncilThe pools run daily but opening is weather-dependent, so they may close on cooler or wet days. The council says it will post updates when pools are shut.
Town Council Leader Cllr Sean Rees said he was “delighted” to welcome the pools and splash pads back for the summer.
“These fantastic facilities, together with the wide range of free activities taking place across our parks and community facilities, give families plenty of opportunities to keep children active, entertained and enjoying the outdoors throughout the summer,” he said.
He added that with many families looking for affordable things to do, the council was “proud to provide free and welcoming spaces that bring our communities together”, and thanked town council staff for preparing and maintaining the facilities.
The Llanelli openings come as Swansea’s free seafront pool at Blackpill finally reopened last week — the first time it had opened all season, after a sprinkler theft and a flooring failure kept it shut through repeated heatwaves.
For families across the region, it means free outdoor swimming is now on offer on both sides of the Loughor estuary just as the school holidays begin.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Blackpill Lido: Free seafront pool finally reopens after a summer of setbacks
Swansea’s free pool opens for the first time all season.More from Llanelli Town Council
All our coverage of the town council and its facilities.More Llanelli news
#CarmarthenshireCouncil #CllrSeanRees #Llanelli #LlanelliTownCouncil #PaddlingPools
Everything happening across the town. -
COVERT FILMING: Row erupts at Llanelli Town Council as motion to protect staff from being recorded is deferred
A political row has broken out at Llanelli Town Council over a motion to protect staff from being covertly filmed at work — after the Independent-led administration deferred the proposal in order to seek professional advice.
The motion, brought by Labour councillor David Darkin and seconded by Cllr John Prosser, asked the council to develop a policy protecting staff in council buildings from unsolicited recording. It was deferred at a recent meeting of the council.
The Labour group says the delay leaves staff exposed at a time when retail union USDAW is warning of an “epidemic” of workers being filmed without their consent — including covertly, through camera-equipped smart glasses.
“I was really troubled by the issues raised by USDAW and want our council to take an active stand,” Cllr Darkin said.
The union has told of staff suffering daily “ritual humiliation” for internet prank videos, and has raised safety fears for workers who have escaped abusive relationships and do not want their whereabouts revealed online.
USDAW deputy general secretary Rab Donnelly has described the practice as “intimidation” and “an invasion of privacy, this is outright cruelty when you’re already in a vulnerable situation.”
The technology can make filming almost impossible to spot: Meta’s camera-equipped Ray-Ban glasses are estimated to account for more than 80% of smart glasses sales, according to the Labour group’s statement, meaning a worker may never know they have been recorded.
In its statement, the group argued that council offices, community centres and service points are workplaces rather than public spaces — meaning staff have a reasonable expectation of privacy and the council, as their employer, has a duty of care. Deferring the motion, it said, gets the sequence backwards, because research is part of developing a policy rather than a reason to delay starting one.
“Protecting our council staff is a core responsibility for the administration and it’s deeply disappointing to see the independent councillors failing to grasp this opportunity to protect our team,” Cllr Prosser said.
But council leader Cllr Sean Rees rejected the suggestion that the Independents had turned their backs on staff — insisting the deferral “was not a rejection” of the motion’s aims.
“Our Independent-led Town Council takes its responsibilities to staff, councillors, and members of the public seriously,” he said. “That is why we believe any policy introduced by the Council must be legally robust, practical, and informed by appropriate professional guidance.
“We welcome the intent behind the motion, which seeks to protect the dignity, privacy and safety of councillors, staff, service users, and members of the public in an increasingly digital environment. These are objectives that we fully support.”
Cllr Rees said a formal policy raised “legal, governance and employment considerations that extend beyond the remit of Llanelli Town Council alone”, and that it was “entirely appropriate” to seek guidance from Carmarthenshire County Council and One Voice Wales — the membership body for Wales’ community and town councils — to ensure any policy reflected current legislation and recognised best practice.
“It is important to emphasise that deferring the motion was not a rejection of its aims,” he said. “Rather, it was a decision to undertake proper due diligence before adopting a policy that could have significant legal and operational implications for the Council.”
He also turned the criticism back on Labour, questioning why the group had not brought forward such a policy during its own years running the council. “If the need for such a policy was as pressing as is now being suggested, why was no action taken at that time?”
“Independent councillors remain committed to working constructively with all members to develop a clear, proportionate and legally sound policy once the appropriate professional advice has been received,” he added. “Our priority here is to ensure that any policy adopted is effective, enforceable and capable of protecting everyone who engages with the Council.”
It is not the first clash between the two sides this year — a row erupted in February over who deserved credit for freezing the town’s precept. Weeks later, the new administration axed councillor expenses, claiming a £15,000-a-year saving.
Cllr Rees said policy work would resume once the professional advice had been received.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Darkin claims credit for zero precept rise as political row erupts over Llanelli budget
The February clash between Labour and the Independent group over the town’s finances.TAXPAYER WIN: New council bosses claim £15,000 a year saving as Llanelli councillor expenses axed
The Independent administration’s first big change after taking charge of the town council.PRINCE PHILIP HOSPITAL: Town council calls for Llanelli stroke unit to become ‘centre of excellence’ amid shake-up fears
The town council’s intervention in the row over the future of stroke services.LLANELLI: Town council welcomes Heol Goffa commitment but calls for faster delivery
Councillors press for a faster timetable on the town’s new special school.LLANELLI: Residents wanted for board steering town’s £20m, 10-year transformation
#CllrSeanRees #DavidDarkin #Llanelli #LlanelliTownCouncil
How local people can help decide where £20m of regeneration funding goes. -
PRINCE PHILIP HOSPITAL: Town council calls for Llanelli stroke unit to become ‘centre of excellence’ amid shake-up fears
Llanelli Town Council is calling for Prince Philip Hospital to be developed into a “centre of excellence” for stroke care — rather than see its specialist services scaled back.
The cross-party intervention comes as Hywel Dda University Health Board consults on plans that would change how stroke patients across west Wales are treated.
Under the proposals, Prince Philip would provide initial emergency stroke treatment before patients are transferred to Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen for specialist inpatient care — a “treat and transfer” model.
Glangwili would become the region’s only round-the-clock acute stroke unit, with Prince Philip, Withybush in Haverfordwest and Bronglais in Aberystwyth left as transfer sites.
The plan stems from a board decision in February to centralise emergency surgery, stroke and specialist critical care at Glangwili.
The health board argues change is needed on safety grounds. Stroke services are currently spread across four hospital sites with no specialist cover seven days a week, meaning patients do not always get the standard of care they should.
Lee Davies, the board’s executive director of strategy and planning, said: “We need to change our current service to ensure that people in our communities have the best possible outcomes and chance of recovery from a stroke.”
But councillors in Llanelli fear the changes could mean the gradual erosion of the specialist stroke services currently provided through Ward 9 at Prince Philip.
The issue was debated at the council’s full meeting on 3 June.
The council’s independent leader, Councillor Sean Rees, said stroke services were among the most important provided to the community, and that Ward 9 had built a strong reputation for high-quality specialist care.
“Local people are understandably concerned about what these proposals could mean for the future,” Councillor Rees said. “The health board must provide clear assurances about the long-term future of stroke services in Llanelli.”
He has submitted a series of questions to the health board as part of the consultation, asking whether Ward 9 will continue as a specialist stroke unit, what services will remain in Llanelli, and whether there are any plans to downgrade, relocate or remove specialist stroke provision from Prince Philip in future.
Councillor Rees has previously warned that the town “cannot afford to lose any more” services from the hospital.
During the debate, councillors argued the focus should be on enhancing Prince Philip’s role, not reducing it.
Councillor Sarah Evans, who represents the Lliedi ward, said the hospital should be developed as a centre of excellence for stroke care, building on the expertise, facilities and staff already at Ward 9.
Councillor Evans and her colleagues pointed to the hospital’s location and its accessibility for communities across Llanelli and Carmarthenshire, and the importance of keeping specialist care close to where patients and their families live.
Returning to the theme, Councillor Rees said: “Rather than transferring more services away from Llanelli, the health board should be exploring opportunities to strengthen and expand the excellent work already being carried out at Prince Philip Hospital.”
He argued there was “a strong case” for the centre-of-excellence approach: “The expertise already exists, the need clearly exists, and local people deserve access to specialist treatment as close to home as possible.”
The call comes weeks after Prince Philip became the first hospital in Wales to offer a pioneering cancer diagnosis technique — which the council points to as evidence of the expertise already on site.
Hywel Dda is holding a public drop-in event on the proposals from 2pm to 7pm on Monday 15 June at the Selwyn Samuel Centre in Llanelli.
The health board is encouraging residents, patients, carers and staff to take part in the consultation before any final decisions are made.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
HYWEL DDA: Stroke patients face major shake-up as Glangwili set to become region’s only 24-hour acute unit
The consultation now under way on the future of stroke services.CARMARTHEN: Glangwili to become regional hub as health bosses centralise services
The February decision to centralise emergency surgery and stroke care.LLANELLI: Prince Philip Hospital becomes first in Wales to offer pioneering cancer diagnosis technique
A sign of the specialist expertise already at the hospital.Llanelli’s minor injuries unit to become 12-hour urgent care centre — no return to 24-hour service
#CllrSeanRees #HywelDdaNHS #Llanelli #LlanelliTownCouncil #PrincePhilipHospital #Stroke
An earlier service change at Prince Philip as part of the same plan. -
Council demands action on Pontyates surgery closure as councillors warn of “predetermined outcome”
The motion, proposed by Plaid Cymru councillors Alex Evans and Tyssul Evans and passed at today’s full Carmarthenshire County Council meeting, calls on both Welsh Government and Hywel Dda to explain why closure has been identified as the “preferred option” before full community consultation has taken place.
The debate saw 11 councillors speak, with powerful criticisms of the health board’s engagement process and warnings that neighbouring GP surgeries are already operating “beyond full capacity” and cannot absorb thousands more patients.
Cllr Alex Evans told the chamber that Hywel Dda had informed local councillors the current engagement “will not consider alternatives to closure, only the impact the closure would have.”
“That is not engagement on securing the future of a service, that is an engagement on managing its loss,” he said. “If an engagement does not consider an alternative, it inevitably creates the impression that the outcome has already been decided.”
He warned that relocating thousands of patients to already stretched practices “will not remove pressure from the system, it just redistributes it.”
“Our communities should not have to suffer the consequences of a national failure of government to train, recruit and retain GPs,” Cllr Evans said, noting that around 100 GP surgeries have closed in Wales since 2012 whilst GP numbers have barely increased since 2008.
“Closure must be the last option, not the easiest one,” he concluded.
Public transport nightmare
Cllr Tyssul Evans highlighted the absurdity of public transport options for patients without cars, revealing that whilst Pontyates and Kidwelly are less than six miles apart by direct route, patients relying on buses would face a 15-mile journey one way via Llanelli, or a 20-mile journey via Carmarthen.
“This means a six-mile journey becomes either a 30-mile or 40-mile round trip for elderly, disabled, or vulnerable patients needing regular appointments,” he said.
Cross-community solidarity
Cllr Liam Bowen, representing Pontyberem, said the manager of Colebrook Surgery in his village was supporting the campaign to save Meddygfa’r Sarn, despite the practice being prepared to take displaced patients if necessary.
He revealed that Colebrook already has over 5,000 registered patients, and local people are concerned that adding thousands more following the closure of Tumble Surgery and potentially Pontyates would lead to unacceptable waiting times.
“The residents of Pontyberem are standing firmly with the residents of Pontyates,” Cllr Bowen said. “Closing Sarn surgery is another example of care services being taken out of our rural communities.”
Pattern of failed consultations
Independent councillor Sean Rees delivered a devastating critique of Hywel Dda’s consultation processes, listing multiple examples where community engagement had failed to meaningfully consider alternatives.
“Local GP surgeries are not simply just buildings where appointments take place, they are the front door to our national health service,” he said.
Cllr Rees said he had spoken to many Llanelli-based GP practices, and many were already operating “at full capacity, and many would say they are beyond that.”
“Appointment books are filled within minutes. Patients speak of repeated attempts to try and get through on the phone at 8am in the morning,” he said.
“To simply suggest that thousands more patients can be absorbed into a system without any consequence at all is just simply not credible.”
He cited failures in consultations over the minor injuries unit at Prince Philip Hospital, last week’s clinical services plan outcomes, the relocation of the Dyfed Drug and Alcohol service, and ongoing questions regarding blood testing services that were due to move to Pentre Awel last year but remain unresolved.
“When these commitments are made and when timelines slip without clear explanation, confidence erodes and trust weakens,” Cllr Rees said.
“If a board’s report has already identified closure as a preferred option before any full community consultation, then it is absolutely entirely understandable that the residents will fear that the outcomes are predetermined. That undermines trust and once that public trust is damaged it is extremely difficult to rebuild. We simply cannot allow this pattern to continue.”
Housing growth contradicts closure
Cllr Steve Williams questioned how the closure could be justified when new housing is being built in the area and the population is rising.
“What is the Senedd doing to ensure that primary care is available to those that need it the most?” he asked, demanding Welsh Government oversight on healthcare planning.
Community protest
Cllr Meinir James noted that over 200 local residents and councillors had formed a human chain around the surgery on Monday in a “Cwtsh or Sarn” solidarity event, following a petition that has gathered over 1,000 signatures.
Impact on neighbouring surgeries
The motion highlighted that if Meddygfa’r Sarn closes, Colebrook Surgery in Pontyberem would receive an extra 3,000 patients – a 60 per cent increase – taking its total to 8,000, whilst Minafon in Kidwelly would gain 1,000 extra patients, taking it to over 9,000.
National workforce crisis
Cllr Evans told councillors that according to Llais, 91 per cent of GPs say they cannot meet patient demand in Wales, and BMA Cymru has warned of a GP workforce crisis, with alarmingly over 10 per cent of GPs under 40 leaving the workforce in 2023.
He said Welsh Government is spending a “record low 6 per cent of the budget on Primary Care” at a time when services are being reduced not because they are no longer needed, but because the workforce is not there.
Minor dissent
Two councillors raised concerns about the motion’s tone. Cllr Michael Thomas claimed it was “too negative” and didn’t outline alternatives, whilst Cllr Martyn Palfreyman criticised what he called “partisan comments” from Cllr Alex Evans in blaming Welsh Government.
Cllr Evans disputed the partisan claim, saying he had not mentioned any political parties and that the opposition Labour group had not submitted any amendments to the motion despite having the opportunity to do so.
What the motion demands
The motion calls on Welsh Government to explain what steps are being taken to prevent GP surgery closures across Wales and to ensure that alternatives to closure are genuinely considered in all cases.
It demands that Hywel Dda University Health Board publish its Health Impact Assessment and Equality Impact Assessment, explain why closure was identified as the preferred option before full consultation, and publish its assessment of all alternatives to closure.
The motion was passed following the debate.
#CarmarthenshireCouncil #CarmarthenshireCountyCouncil #CllrAlexEvans #CllrLiamBowen #CllrMeinirJames #CllrSeanRees #CllrSteveWilliams #CllrTyssulEvans #GPSurgery #GPSurgeryClosure #HywelDdaUniversityHealthBoard #Kidwelly #MeddygfaRSarn #Pontyates #Pontyberem -
Darkin claims credit for zero precept rise as political row erupts over Llanelli budget
Cllr David Darkin, who is also standing as a Labour candidate in May’s Senedd elections, said he proposed the zero-change precept for 2026-27 at February’s Establishment Committee meeting, with new Independent leader Cllr Sean Rees seconding the motion.
The statement comes after the Independents took control of the council last week following a series of defections from Labour and the formation of a “confidence and supply agreement” under Rees’s leadership.
In a lengthy public statement, Darkin set out a detailed timeline of the budget process, claiming the new administration had suggested it would “work towards” a zero change after the decision had already been made and passed by councillors.
“For accuracy, the zero-change decision had already been proposed by me, seconded by Cllr Rees, and supported by councillors prior to that announcement,” Darkin said.
The former leader also defended Labour’s financial management of the council, arguing that a zero precept was only possible because his administration had stabilised the authority’s finances after what he described as deficit budgets run by earlier Independent administrations.
“Over the past term, Labour brought the budget back into balance after earlier Independent administrations ran deficit budgets that eroded the council’s financial security,” Darkin claimed. “The turnaround is evidenced in recent balanced budgets and year-end positions set out in the council’s published accounts.”
Darkin’s statement reveals the fraught political manoeuvring that took place in the weeks leading up to the budget being set. According to his account, neither Labour nor the Independents initially intended to table a budget, forcing the Town Clerk to seek guidance on the consequences of no budget being set.
He said he informed the Town Clerk in early January that Labour would not table a full budget it could not pass, and asked that Rees be invited to key meetings including the Parc Howard Collaboration and Llanelly House Trustees so he had the information needed to prepare a responsible budget.
“One week before budget day, Cllr Rees and I spoke,” Darkin explained. “We agreed that a standoff would be irresponsible. We therefore agreed a holding position so the council could operate normally and residents would not be caught in the middle.”
The political row comes at a sensitive time for Darkin, who is one of six Labour candidates standing for the new Carmarthenshire super-constituency in the Senedd elections. The loss of control at Llanelli Town Council represents a significant political setback just months before voters go to the polls.
When the Independents took control last week, they issued a statement saying the new administration had been formed following “a period in which councillors from across the chamber have expressed a loss of confidence in the direction and decision-making of the previous Labour administration and the need instead to have a more open, collaborative, and community-focused approach.”
At the time, Darkin questioned what the new Independent group stood for, saying they had “no shared manifesto, no unified programme and no clear commitments made to the public.”
In his latest statement, Darkin struck a more conciliatory tone while maintaining his challenge over the budget narrative.
“I congratulate the new administration on taking office,” he said. “I will continue to support measures that keep bills down and protect community services, and I will challenge any attempt to rewrite the public record. Residents deserve accuracy, stability and mature cooperation.”
He urged anyone with doubts about his account to watch the recording of the February meeting and check the official minutes when they are published next month.
“The facts are straightforward: the zero-change precept was proposed by me, seconded by Cllr Rees and passed with broad support,” he said.
The political battle over who deserves credit for the zero precept increase highlights the increasingly fractious atmosphere at Llanelli Town Council, which has been rocked by public rows over issues including a scaled-back skip-day plan and how to tackle fly-tipping.
Those tensions ultimately contributed to the loss of confidence in Darkin’s leadership that paved the way for the Independent takeover.
The new administration has yet to respond publicly to Darkin’s latest statement.
#Budget #CllrSeanRees #DavidDarkin #financialManagement #Llanelli #LlanelliTownCouncil #WelshLabour -
Independents seize control of Llanelli Town Council as Labour’s Senedd hopeful demands answers
Glanymor councillor Sean Rees is the new Leader, with Bigyn’s Michael Cranham as Deputy Leader, after a confidence and supply deal between non‑Labour councillors pushed Labour out of the top roles.
The move follows weeks of open rows in the chamber — including a bust‑up over a watered‑down skip‑day plan — and growing frustration over how the council was being run.
‘Residents want services, not party politics’
Rees said the new administration would strip out party politics and focus on the basics.
Cllr Sean Rees said:
“Residents want us to focus on local services, community facilities and value for money — not party politics. Our priority will be to listen and put our residents at the heart of every decision.”
Cranham said the agreement underpinning the new administration would be published in full.
Cllr Michael Cranham said:
“This is a fresh start. We’re ready to work with anyone who shares the goal of being responsible with public money. Decisions must be made on merit, not political allegiance.”
The Independents say their early priorities include recording and publishing meetings, proposing the removal of councillor expenses, working towards freezing the precept for 2026–27, and investing in parks, play areas and community facilities.
Former Llanelli Town Council leader David Darkin (left) and new council leader, Sean Rees (right). (Image: Supplied)Labour’s Senedd candidate hits back: ‘What do they stand for?’
The takeover is a blow for Labour locally — and a political headache for outgoing leader David Darkin, who is standing as one of Labour’s six Senedd candidates under the new voting system.
Darkin congratulated Rees but questioned what the new administration actually represents.
David Darkin said:
“I must be honest — I do not know what this group of Independents stands for or what vision they have for Llanelli. They have no shared manifesto, no unified programme and no clear commitments made to the public.”
He said Labour had strengthened community facilities, improved parks and supported local groups during its time in charge, and vowed to hold the new administration to account.
Darkin added:
“Residents deserve transparency and clarity about the direction their council will now take.”
A council already split before the takeover
The leadership change comes after a string of public clashes inside the chamber. Councillors traded blows over a scaled‑back skip‑day plan and argued over how to tackle fly‑tipping — rows that exposed deep divisions and raised questions about Labour’s grip on the council.
Those tensions ultimately fuelled the loss of confidence that opened the door for the Independents.
What happens next
The Independents say they want a “stronger, brighter, fairer future for Llanelli”. Labour says it will scrutinise every decision and defend the priorities voters backed at the last election.
The publication of the confidence and supply agreement, the upcoming budget, and the 2026–27 precept will be the first major tests of the new regime — and the first chance for residents to see whether Llanelli’s political shake‑up delivers the stability both sides claim to offer.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Row erupts in Llanelli as councillors trade blows over watered‑down skip‑day plan
Tensions flared inside the chamber as councillors clashed over a scaled‑back proposal to tackle fly‑tipping.Llanelli backs skip‑day plan to tackle fly‑tipping scourge
Councillors agreed a revised scheme after weeks of disagreement over how to deal with persistent fly‑tipping.David Darkin launches Senedd bid for Carmarthenshire super‑constituency
The former Llanelli Town Council leader set out his case as one of Labour’s candidates under the new voting system.Ammanford Deputy Mayor tops Labour’s Senedd list for Carmarthenshire
#CllrSeanRees #DavidDarkin #LlanelliTownCouncil #politics
Labour confirmed its full slate of candidates as the new six‑member constituency takes shape.